Pekudei [Accounts]All the Rivers Flow into the Sea1) “These are the accounts of the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the testimony.” It is written, “All the rivers flow into the sea, yet the sea is not full.” All the rivers are rivers and holy springs, the Sefirot de ZA, which have been filled and came out to illuminate upon the great sea, which is Malchut. And when the great sea is filled by those rivers, it emits water and waters all the animals of the field, as it is written, “They water every beast of the field,” which are the degrees of BYA.

2) First it is written, “He sends forth springs in the rivers,” and then it is written, “They water every beast of the field, the wild donkeys quench their thirst.” These are the Merkavot [pl. of Merkava (chariot/assembly)] below, in BYA, which are called “beasts of the field” and “wild donkeys.” And when the sea, Malchut, receives those springs, the lights of ZA, it receives all of them and sucks them into it. Subsequently, it emits water to the other side—which is the holy Merkavot below, in BYA—waters them, and all are accounted for and counted by name, for Malchut names all the degrees that she waters, as it is written, “He calls them all by name.” This is why it is written, “These are the accounts of the tabernacle,” for the tabernacle is Malchut, and the degrees that she waters—the Kelim of the tabernacle—are her accounts, which are called by name.

How Great Is Your Goodness, which You Have Concealed for Those Who Fear You3) It is written, “How great is Your goodness, which You have concealed for those who fear You, which You have wrought for those who take refuge in You, before the sons of men.” How much should people look into, and know the ways of the Creator, for each day, a voice comes out, declares, and says, “Beware, of the world, O people, close the doors of iniquity, move away from the net that hunts people before your legs are caught in that net.” The wheel always turns; the Din of above ascends and descends, raising people and bringing people down. Woe to those whose legs have been rejected by the wheel, for they fall into the depth that is kept for the wicked of the world.

4) Woe to those who fall into the depth and will not rise or illuminate in the light that is hidden for the righteous for the next world. Happy are the righteous for the next world, for several lights are hidden and kept for them, several refinements from that world are hidden for them, as it is written, “How great is Your goodness, which You have concealed for those who fear You.” “How great is Your goodness” is a light that is hidden for the righteous for the next world, as it is written, “And God saw the light that it was good.” It is also written, “Light is sawn for the righteous.” “Sawn” means that it was hidden. This is why it is written, “How great is Your goodness.”

5) Here it is written, “How great is Your goodness,” and there is it written, “And God saw the light, that it was good.” As there it is said, “Good,” about the light, here too, “Your greatness” means “Your light.” “Which you have concealed,” since the Creator looked in the light and in those wicked that are destined to sin in the world. He hid that light for the righteous to be rewarded with it for the next world.

6) Why does it first write “Concealed,” and then writes, “Wrought”? “Concealed,” since He hid it for the righteous. “Wrought,” for the Creator worked the craftsmanship of the world in

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that hidden light. It is so because it is written, “These are the generations of the heaven and the earth when they were created. It is written, “In Abraham,” since “When they were created” has the letters of “In Abraham” [in Hebrew]. That is, that light of Abraham, Hesed, the Creator hid it, as well as operating the craftsmanship of the world with it, as it is written, “Which You have wrought for those who take refuge in You,” meaning those who sit under the shade of the Creator, who take refuge by His shade.

7) “You have wrought for those who take refuge in You, before the sons of men.” The craftsmanship that was done in that light sustains people in the world, and it is their sustenance. And although the light is hidden, the people in this world live by it. “You have wrought” the craftsmanship of this world, in which all is done by calculation. The craftsmanship of the world is like the craftsmanship of the tabernacle, which is a craftsmanship like the world.

8) It is written here, “These are the accounts of the tabernacle,” and there it is written, “These are the generations of the heaven and the earth.” This teaches that their works are equal, for all those generations that the heaven and the earth made and brought forth were done and came out by the force of the hidden light. Likewise, the accounts of the tabernacle came out by the force of the hidden light, for it is written, “And Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah.” This is from the right side, Abraham, the hidden light. “And with him was Oholiab,” from the left side, while the tabernacle, Malchut, was established and made from the right and left sides. Moses, who was the between them—the middle line—established it.

And a Throne Is Established Through Mercy9) “And a throne is established through mercy and a judge will sit on it in truth in the tent of David.” When the thought, Hochma, upper AVI, rose to be corrected by the will of joy from the most hidden of all that are hidden, who is unknown and unattainable, being Atik, the joy of Atik came and illuminated inside the thought, which is Aba. At that time it entered where it entered, mating with upper Ima in the light of Hesed in a never ending Zivug, as it is written, “Because He desires mercy.”

He explains that preparation that was done in Hesed by correcting the Partzuf of upper AVI in the light of Hesed in a Zivug PBP [face-to-face], “Because He desires mercy,” meaning that that great Zivug never stops. It is so because that desiring mercy in AVI extends to them from Atik, for when Atik corrected Partzuf AVI, the joy of the light of Hesed in Atik illuminated to Aba until this joy clung to Aba so much that he no longer receives Hochma. Rather, he mates with upper Ima in a never ending Zivug, only in illumination of Hassadim. It is written about that correction of upper AVI, “And a throne is established through mercy.”

10) Until AVI were hidden—meaning corrected and clothed in the upper palace, Bina, YESHSUT, the hidden palace where Hochma is not revealed up in his place, but from which all the lights pour out and extend, the light of Hassadim from the right line, and the light of Hochma from the left line, and the light of Daat in the middle line—the light of Hassadim first traveled from the right, and then the light of Hochma and the light of Daat traveled.

The throne below, Malchut, is established from the right side because the Creator, ZA, established a throne in Hesed, which extends from the right line of YESHSUT and from upper AVI, and does not sit on the throne, Malchut, but in a seal, which is called “truth.” This is the correction of the middle line, as it is written, “Will sit on it in truth,” in the correction of the seal over everything. In the tent of David, Malchut, the throne is below.

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11) “Judging and seeking sentence, and prompt in justice” is the end of the verse. “Judging,” from the side of Din, left line. “Seeking sentence,” from the side of Rachamim [mercy], the middle line. “And Prompt in justice” is the chair of Din, the courthouse of below, Malchut. Likewise, the tabernacle was established from the right, Hesed, by which all the generations that extend from Malchut were counted and established below.

These Are the Accounts of the Tabernacle12) “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” When the Creator created the world, He created it such as above, so that this world would be in the form of the upper world, Malchut. He established all those colors of above below, in this world, to attach and connect a world to a world, this world to Malchut.

13) When the Creator wished to create the world, He looked in the Torah and created it. He looked in the holy name, HaVaYaH, the whole of the Torah, and made the world be. The world was created by three sides—Hochma, Tevuna, and Daat. By Hochma, as it is written, “The Lord established the earth with wisdom.” By Tevuna, as it is written, “He established the heaven with intelligence.” By Daat, as it is written, “By His knowledge the deeps were broken up.” Thus, all of them are present in the existence of the world. By those three was the tabernacle built, as it is written, “I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in intelligence, and in knowledge.”

14) All three, Hochma, Tevuna, and Daat, are implied in the verse. “In the beginning” is Hochma, “God created” is Tevuna, since Tevuna is called Elokim [God]. “The heaven” is in Daat because ZA is called heaven and Daat. Also, all are written in the work of the tabernacle, as it is written, “These are the accounts of the tabernacle,” the Hochma, since accounts and number extend from Hochma. “The tabernacle of the testimony” is Tevuna because the illumination of Hochma that appears in YESHSUT is called “testimony.” “Which were counted according to Moses” is Daat because Moses is Daat. All is done one opposite the other because everything that the Creator created in this world, He created it such as above, and all is registered in the work of the tabernacle.

15) When the Creator said to Moses, “Make the Tabernacle,” Moses was bewildered. He did not know what to do until the Creator vividly showed him, as it is written, “And see and make them after their pattern, which is being shown to you in the mountain.” “In their pattern” means that the Creator showed Moses everything in its higher, spiritual form, and each of the spiritual forms above was making its form similar to the fictitious form that was made below, on earth. This is how Moses knew.

16) “Which is being shown to you in the mountain.” The mirror that does not shine, Malchut, was showing him within her all the manners and forms that are being done below.

17) “Which is being shown to you.” “You” is the mirror that does not shine, Malchut, which showed him within her all those forms. And Moses saw each of them in its corrected form, as one who sees within a crystal lamp, within a mirror that shows all the forms. And when Moses looked into them, he found them perplexing, since there, in Malchut, everything stood in its spiritual form, but each form equalized its form to the imaginary form in this world, in the Tabernacle.

It follows that two forms were apparent in everything: the spiritual one and the imaginary one. This is why Moses was bewildered; he did not know which of them to grasp. The Creator told him, “You with your signs, and I with Mine,” that Moses would perceive the imaginary signs

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in everything, and the Creator perceives the spiritual signs of everything, and then the spiritual form is placed over the imaginary form. Then Moses was reconciled in all the work of the Tabernacle.

18) When all the work was done, Moses had to count everything so that Israel would not say that there were leftover silver and gold that he was going to take. Therefore, he had to count the accounts before Israel, since it is written, “And you shall be clear before the Lord and before Israel.”

19) This is why it is written, “These are the accounts of the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the testimony,” since the spirit of holiness, Malchut, called “a tabernacle,” was showing to everyone the account of all the gold and silver that Israel donated. The spirit of holiness said, “And the silver of those of the congregation who were numbered.” And he said, “All the gold that is made for work in all the work of holiness,” since the Creator desired those craftsmen and wished to show their loyalty to all.

20) “These are the accounts of the tabernacle.” When the work of the tabernacle was being done, the Sitra Achra would go and roam to slander. He did not find a reason with the faith of the craftsmen until the Creator surrendered him before Moses, and the Sitra Achra made the calculation of the loyalty against his will, showing their loyalty before all, as it is written, These are the accounts of the tabernacle.” “These are the Sitra Achra.” It is also written, “Which were counted according to Moses.”

21) “These are the accounts of the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the testimony.” It writes “tabernacle” twice: once above, in Bina, “The tabernacle of the testimony,” and once below, in Malchut, only “tabernacle.” A tabernacle is called “the tabernacle of the testimony,” as it is written, “The tribes of the Lord, a testimony to Israel,” since the name Yod-Hey, HB, is a testimony to Israel.

22) Likewise, it is written, “A testimony in Jehoseph is his name.” It is called “a testimony” because the name Yod-Hey in Jehoseph is HB, testimony. In every place, Yod-Hey testify to a testimony, meaning illuminate illumination of Hochma, which is called Eden or Edut [testimony]. This is why it is written, “The tabernacle of the testimony,” a tabernacle of the testimony of Yod-Hey, Bina. This is why the tabernacle is named after the holy name Yod-Hey, as it is written, “And I will teach them this testimony of Mine,” since this place, Yod-Hey, is hidden and concealed. This is why it is written, “I will teach them.”

23) “Which were counted according to Moses.” Does the tabernacle count the testimony, for it is written, “Accounts of the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the testimony”? Indeed, it counts the testimony, Yod-Hey, since on the day when the patriarchs departed from the world, as well as all the tribes of the children of Jacob, and Israel were left in exile, in those troubles, they forgot the knowledge of the high and holy name, “testimony,” which is the existence of heaven and earth, Mochin de ZON. It is so because the upper and lower ones, and all the sides of the world established those two letters Yod-Hey by giving them Mochin.

24) When Moses came, the name Yod-Hey was counted and mentioned in the world. And when he was by the bush, he immediately asked about this name, as it is written, “And they may say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?” And there that name was accounted according to Moses.

25) “The tabernacle of the testimony, which were counted according to Moses, the work of the Levites.” It is written, “And the Levites shall perform is the service of the tent of meeting.” “Is” is the holy name, Bina. “Is” is in third person, and not in second person, like

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Malchut, which is called “you.” Hence, the tabernacle of the testimony, Bina, is the work of the Levites.

Also, the work of the Levites of carrying the tabernacle from place to place on their shoulders, as it is written, “But to the sons of Kohat he gave none, because the service of the holy things belonged to them: they bore them upon their shoulders.” This is why the tabernacle, the work of the Levites, is named after them.

26) “And in that day, it shall come to pass that the root of Yishai [Jesse], which stands as a banner for the peoples, the nations will seek it, and his resting place will be glorious.” “And on that day,” when the Creator increases peace in the world, the root of the tree of life shall be, meaning the decisive middle line, making peace between right and left. And out of that root will the rest of the roots exist below—the degrees in Malchut and BYA—for they are all rooted and exist by it.

27) “Which stands as a banner for the peoples,” standing as a banner and a token for the holy name, HaVaYaH. “The nations will seek it,” for there is the existence—Mochin—of the holy name. Therefore, “The nations will seek it,” to receive wisdom and knowledge [Hochma and Daat] from there, as it is written, “And many peoples shall go and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord.’” Therefore, “The nations will seek it.” “And his resting place will be glorious.” “Resting place” is the Temple, Malchut, as it is written, “This is My resting place forever and ever.” “Glorious,” for that is what it was called at that time, “The glory of the Lord.” It is written, “The light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun,” meaning that the light of Malchut will be as the light of ZA, “And the light of the sun will be sevenfold,” meaning that the light of ZA will be seven times what it was before.

28) The resting place of the root of Yishai, Malchut, which is called “The glory of the Lord,” will never be counted or accounted for because in all that is counted, the blessing is not complete. Blessings are present only in what is not counted, and in the first time, Malchut was counted, as it is written, “These are the accounts of the tabernacle.”

The light of the sun is called “lights of numbering” or “calculation,” GAR in Hochma. But VAK de Hochma are only called Mochin of numbering and counting. It is known that through the middle line, which makes peace between right and left, GAR de Hochma, which is a number and a calculation, were diminished. At that time the blessing is in her. But before the GAR were diminished, Dinim were extended from the left line, the lights froze, and there was no blessing there.

The root of Yishai, the middle line, diminished the GAR de Hochma from Malchut, which are called “number” and “calculation.” It is so because in all that is counted, the blessing is incomplete there because while GAR de Hochma illuminate in the left line, there is a dispute between the lines and there are no Hassadim there, and Hochma cannot illuminate without Hassadim. This is why there is no blessing there. However, although the Hochma was diminished by the middle line into VAK de Hochma, it is still impossible that VAK de Hochma would come out with absence of GAR. Rather, first, all ten Sefirot de Hochma must illuminate completely, and then the GAR de Hochma depart and the VAK de Hochma remain.

It was said that in the first time, Malchut was counted, that in the beginning, GAR de Hochma, called “calculation,” must come out as well, since it is impossible for VAK to come out without GAR. However, they promptly depart. It is written about the first time, “These are the accounts of the tabernacle.” But afterwards the GAR depart and she remains in VAK.

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29) The tabernacle is counted. Malchut is called “a tabernacle,” left line, from which the counting comes. For this reason, she needs Moses’ prayer, the middle line, which unites the right and the left and instills blessings in them so there will be blessings on her, as it is written, “And Moses blessed them,” that there will be a blessing in the work of your hands. There are no blessings in a calculation until Moses ties it to the tabernacle of above, Bina, as it is written, “These are the accounts of the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the testimony, which were counted according to Moses.” “The tabernacle of the testimony” is Bina, and if the counting is not done by Moses, diminishing from GAR de GAR, they would not be able to count, as it is written, “Which were counted according to Moses.”

30) It is written about Elijah, “And the word of the Lord came to him, saying, ‘...Arise, go to Zarephat, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there; behold, I have commanded a widow there to sustain you.’” Before he came to the world, the Creator commanded the crows by His decree to bring food to Elijah, and for that woman to give food to Elijah.

31) It is written, “As the Lord your God lives, I have no cake, only a spoonful of flour.” A spoonful was the measurement in flour, and it was befitting that there would be no blessings in it because it was under measurement. However, it is written, “So said the Lord, God of Israel, ‘The bowl of flour shall not be exhausted, nor shall the jar of oil be empty until the day when the Lord gives rain.’” Hence, because of that blessing, there were blessings in them although they were counted.

32) It is read, “The Lord gives rain,” and it is written “The Lord will give rain.” This is because in the whole of the generation, none was found to be awarded a reward as that woman. This is why it is written, “Will give,” meaning you will give rain on the world because of your great merit.

33) It is also written, “The bowl of flour was not exhausted nor did the jar of oil become empty, according to the word of the Lord, which He spoke through Elijah.” It is so because a flour that is measurable, the blessings still do not cease from it because of Elijah’s speech, as it is written, “The bowl of flour was not exhausted.” Although the tabernacle of the testimony was counted—as it was counted according to Moses—there are certainly blessings in it. This is why it is written, “These are the accounts of the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the testimony, which were counted according to Moses.”

34) It is written, “Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet.” The Creator separated him from his wife so he would cling to Divinity, as it is written, “For the place on which you stand is holy ground.” Holy ground is Divinity, holy Dvekut that Moses cleaved at that time above.

35) At that time, the Creator tied him with fondness of above and he was appointed the high appointee over the house, Malchut. He became a Merkava [chariot/structure] for ZA, the upper one of Malchut. He sentences, and the Creator executes, as it is written, “Arise, O Lord,” “Return, O Lord.” It is also written, “Which were counted according to Moses.” According to Moses was the tabernacle established and counted in everything. The counting of the tabernacle, Malchut, was by Moses, as it is written, “I have surely counted you.” Moses was the voice, ZA, which brings out the speech, Malchut, and he made a calculation for her to come out of exile. And now he was commanded to extend Kedusha from above downward, as it is written, “And let them make Me a Temple, that I may dwell among them.”

36) “And Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah” did everything that the Lord commanded Moses. Bezalel is the right side, Hesed. He established the correction of

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everything, since Judah was a ruler and a king over all the other tribes. This is why the one who established the entire tabernacle came out of him. Bezalel means Betzel El [in the shadow of God], in the shadow of God, right, since Hesed is called “God.” He established everything from that side and inherited Hochma to do all the work.

37) With him, “Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan.” Dan is from the left side, harsh Din. On both these sides, right and left, the tabernacle, Malchut, was made and established in them, to be connected in them to be between right and left.

Beautiful Boughs, the Joy of the Whole Earth38) “Beautiful boughs, the joy of the whole earth is Mount Zion in the far north, the city of the great King.” When the Creator created the world, He threw one precious stone under the throne, which sunk to the deep. One head of the stone is stuck inside the deep, and the other head of the stone is above. The other head, which is above, is a point that stands in the middle of the world, from which it expanded to the right and to the left, and to all the sides, and the world existed in that middle point. That stone is called “foundation,” and from it, the whole world was planted to all sides. It can also be interpreted that Shtia [foundation] has the letters of Shet Koh [Yod-Hey], that the Creator Shet [established] it to be the foundation of the world and the planting of everything.

First, the world was created in Midat ha Din [quality of judgment], the restricted Malchut. He saw that the world did not persist because the Kelim of the people of the world, which extended from the restricted Malchut, were unfit for reception of the upper light due to the Tzimtzum over Malchut. Thus, He associated Midat ha Rachamim [quality of mercy] with it, Bina, since He raised the Malchut in the place of Bina, who is Midat ha Rachamim. And when Malchut rose to the place of Bina, the end of the degree was made there, under Hochma, in the middle of Bina. Thus, Malchut gained two Kelim that are fit to receive Ohr Yashar—half of Bina and Tifferet.

It is so because when Malchut is in Bina’s place, Bina and Tifferet are under Malchut, and are therefore included in her. Thus, this whole place, from Bina to Malchut, became considered Malchut, whose one end is stuck in the place of Malchut of Midat ha Din below, and whose other end stands above, in the middle of the Sefira Bina.

This was done in each degree in particular, and in the worlds in general, the five worlds AK and ABYA: AK is Keter, the world of Atzilut is Hochma, the world of Beria is Bina, the world of Yetzira is ZA, and the world of Assiya is Malchut. The Emanator elevated Malchut from Assiya to below Atzilut, which is Hochma, where she ended the world of Atzilut. It is considered that the Emanator threw a rock from the end of Atzilut through Assiya.

It is so because since the three worlds BYA are under the Malchut that ends Atzilut, they are included in her and all are regarded as Malchut, and she expanded from the end of Atzilut through the world of Assiya. Thus, she is stuck in Assiya, and her other end stands at the end of Atzilut, in Malchut de Atzilut that is there, and which is called “the middle point,” since she stands in the middle of the worlds under Hochma, which is Atzilut.

Malchut is called “a stone.” Because of her ascent to Bina, she is called “precious,” and the Emanator threw her, giving her the power of expansion from the place of Bina called “the throne,” until he sank in Malchut of Midat ha Din below, called “the deep.” Within her, she includes all the degrees in this place, which are VAK de Bina and Tifferet through the Malchut

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below. The majority of Malchut stands in the place of Bina, which is therefore called “the middle point,” as she is in the middle of the degree, in the place of Bina of each degree.

We could ask, “But Malchut rose to the place of Bina, under the Hochma, so why does it say that He threw one precious stone under the throne, under Bina? It is because GAR de Bina do not exit the degree due to the end of Malchut below the Hochma. Rather, only VAK de Bina exit the end of Malchut, and the VAK of each degree are regarded as the bottom of the degree. This is why it says “under the throne.”

It was said, “And from there it expanded to the right and to the left, and to all the sides,” that is, the whole world was planted from her to all the sides. All the Mochin and the ascent of the lower one to the upper one to receive Mochin depend on that middle point, which is Malchut that rose to Bina, since by her descent to her place, Bina and TM rise back to their degree, and also receive the lower one with them, who receives Mochin from the upper one. Thus, all is done by the middle point.

The above-said applies to all the degrees. Here The Zohar speaks of the degree of the earth of Assiya, which includes ten earths, ten Sefirot from the deep, which is the outermost Malchut of the earths, in the ocean that surrounds all the Malchut of the earths, through VAK de Bina of the earths, the land in which we dwell. This is the place of the expansion of Malchut. Her upper head is in the land where we dwell, and the lower head is in the deep.

Shtia [foundation] has the letters of Shet Yod Hey, and Malchut is established to being in the place of Bina, who is called Koh, for by that, the worlds acquire the proper Kelim for reception of the upper light. Also, by that, the lower one is prepared to receive Mochin from the upper one, and hence she is the foundation of everything and the planting of everything.

39) In three ways, the earth expanded around that point, the Malchut in the interior of this world. All the refinement and purity in the land stand at the first expansion around that point, and there it is. She is above, over all the earth around that point. The second expansion is around the first expansion and is not as refined and pure as the first expansion, but it is fine and refined in terms of the refinement in the dust, more than any other dust. The third expansion is darker and of more Aviut of the dust than all of them. Around that expansion are the waters of the sea of the ocean that surrounds the entire world. It follows that that point stands in the middle, and all the manners of expansion of the world are around it.

40) The first expansion is the Temple, and all the palaces and helps, and all its corrections, and Jerusalem, and the whole city from the wall inwards. Hence, it is more refined and purer than all the earth. The second expansion is the whole of the land of Israel, which was sanctified in sanctity. The third expansion is the rest of the earth, the dwelling place of the rest of the nations, and the sea of ocean that surrounds everything.

The Zohar speaks of the earth in this world, which consists of ten Sefirot. The Malchut of the earths rose to Bina of the earths and ended the degree there, in a way that the Malchut expands from VAK de Bina of the earths through the deep in the ocean, which is the outer Malchut in Malchut of the earths. It follows that the primary point of Malchut stands above VAK de Bina of the earths, which is the middle point, and the primary part of Malchut that is mitigated in Bina, and whose end is stuck in the deep.

She takes up four Behinot in VAK de Bina of the earths, which is the inhabited land:

1) The upper most Behina in her is the Temple and the city of Jerusalem from the wall inwards.

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2) From Tifferet in her through Yesod, the land of Israel.

3) Malchut in her, the rest of the nations.

4) The deep, the outer Malchut.

These four Behinot surround one another and the middle point is the innermost, in the place of the holy of holies. She is called “the foundation stone.”

41) The colors in the eye surround the middle point of the eye, which is the power of vision of the whole eye, like the middle point in the insides of the land. It is the vision of everything and there is the holy of holies, the ark, and the cover, which is the vision of everything. It follows that that point is the vision of the entire world. This is why it is written about it, “Beautiful boughs, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion.” She is called “beautiful” because this sight is beautiful. “Boughs” is the branch of the tree, ZA, the beauty of everything.

42) The beauty of the world and the vision of the world were not seen in the world until the tabernacle was built and established, and the ark entered the holy place. From that time, the vision of everything, of Divinity, was seen in the world and the world was established. The worthy come into the tabernacle and the ark until they arrive at the middle point that is there, which is “Beautiful boughs, the joy of the whole ...” Once they arrive there, the ark started and said, “This is My resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it.”

43) The Assembly of Israel said this verse when the Temple was built and the ark was put in its place. The Creator said this verse about the Assembly of Israel when Israel do His will, for then the Creator sits on His throne and has mercy on the world, and a blessing, peace, and love of all are present. Then He said, “This is My resting place forever.”

44) When all the craftsmen began to do their craft, that very craft which they began was completed by itself, for it is written, “And all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting was completed,” meaning completed by itself.

45) Likewise, it is written, “And the heaven and the earth were finished,” meaning completed by themselves. But it is written, “And on the seventh day God finished.” Thus, did God finish and complete them, and not by themselves? Of course the whole world—though all the works were completed—the world was still incomplete in its existence until the seventh day came, since when the seventh day came, all the works were completed and the Creator completed the world in it, as it is written, “And on the seventh day God finished His work which He had made.” By that, by the seventh, all the work that He had done was completed in existence. For this reason, “And on the seventh day God finished.”

46) When the Temple was built, all the work that was done, was done by itself. The craftsmen began, and the work was seen to them—how it should be done—and it was registered before them, and the work was completed by itself, as it is written, “And the house, while it was being built,” since it was completed by itself. It is also written, “Was built of a complete stone carried,” since it was built by itself. So it is in every work that is holy: it is completed by itself.

47) The spirit of holiness declared before the eyes of Israel and said, “Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah did everything that the Lord commanded Moses ... With him, Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach.” “With him” means that Oholiab did not do the work alone, but with Bezalel, and with him, not of his own, since Bezalel is right, and Oholiab is left. Thus, the left is always included in the right. This is why it is written, “And behold, I

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Myself have appointed with him Oholiab,” one is right, one is left, and the left is included in the right.

These Are the Accounts of the Tabernacle48) “These are the accounts of the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the testimony, which were counted according to Moses.” Because all the sages made the tabernacle, there had to be a calculation of all the works that were done in it, since by each calculation that was done, the work would be done, and it would be in its place.

“These are the accounts of the tabernacle” in Mochin of number and calculation, which are VAK de Hochma, being the Mochin that sustain everything. It exists only in its own place, and not to extend from there from above downward, as they are VAK, illuminating only from below upward.

49) And as the desire of all of Israel was in what they volunteered, so was their desire in that calculation. By their desire, they extended the Mochin of calculation, and then the whole work was done by desire. Hence, calculation is needed here in the tabernacle, since by calculation is the work done. This is why it is written, “These are the accounts of the tabernacle.”

It is a calculation that faults all the calculations in the world—extension of GAR de Hochma—which are not of Kedusha [holiness], for they do not persist, but destroy the place to which they are drawn. Yet, this calculation in the tabernacle, which is VAK de Hochma, persists more than all the others, and by that the tabernacle persists, and not by another.

And He Will Be the Faith of Your Times50) It is written, “And He will be the faith of Your times, the strength of salvation of wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is His treasure.” Any person who engages in Torah in this world and is rewarded with setting up times for it should be with faith that his desire will be aimed at the Creator, ZA, that he will intend for the Creator. Malchut is called “a name,” to mate with the heaven, ZA, since the faith, Malchut, intended to connect with ZA, as it is written, “The faith of Your times,” where “Your times” are the times for Torah, ZA, and faith—Malchut—to bond together. “The strength of salvation,” including Hesed in Din, since strength is Din and salvation is Hesed. “Of wisdom and knowledge.” These are one atop the other because the Hochma is hidden and concealed, and they should be placed one atop the other, as Hochma appears only through the Daat.

51) “The fear of the Lord is His treasure.” It is the treasure of all those degrees, for the fear of the Lord, Malchut, takes all those rivers, degrees, and becomes a treasurer for them all. When all those secrets come out of her, she takes them out by number, as it is written, “Your eyes are pools in Heshbon [calculation],” since she certainly calculates and brings out those pools of water, which are the degrees that she received within her, minding to take out everything in calculation.

There is disclosure of Hochma only in Malchut, hence Malchut is called “a treasurer.” Like a treasurer who keeps and sustains all that is placed within it, Malchut receives within her all the Sefirot and degrees, and imparts within them illumination of Hochma, by which they are kept and sustained. She takes them out by calculation, in illumination of Hochma, which is called Mochin of calculation, and he brings an evidence to that from the text: “Your eyes are pools in Heshbon,” since Hochma is called “eyes.” Heshbon [calculation] is imparting of Hochma. Pools are the degrees she receives, and he says that she takes out the pools in her by calculation, meaning illumination of Hochma from the eyes.

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52) Because there is calculation in Malchut, which is Hochma that sustains everything, she is called “faith,” since faith is faithfulness and sustenance. In the upper Sefirot and degrees that Malchut receives, one should see faith, to illuminate them in the count, as it is written, “The fear of the Lord is His treasure.” At that time in the generations of the world—in the corrections of Malchut herself, which is called “world,” in the vessels of the tabernacle—it is all the more needed to calculate and show the faith, which is the keeping. This is why the Creator announced to all of Israel the matter of faith of the makers of the tabernacle in all that they did, as it is written, “These are the accounts of the tabernacle.”

Bezalel, His Name Caused53) The Creator wanted Bezalel for the work of the tabernacle more than all of Israel. His name caused, for he was called Bezalel, Betzel [in the shadow of] El [God]. God is the name of Hesed. The Creator places names in the earth to be crowned by them and to do with them the work of the world, as it is written, “Who puts names in the earth,” that the names people name in the earth are placed upon them from the mouth of the Lord.

54) Judah was from the left side, since Judah is Malchut, and Malchut is built from the left. He clung once more to the right, to ZA, and this is why the tabernacle was made on that side, beginning from the left side and clinging to the right. Afterwards they were included in one another and all became right. Likewise is the Torah, Tifferet. It began from the left, since Tifferet was emanated from Gevura, left, clung to the right, in Hesed, they were included in one another, and all became right. Reuben started from the right, since Reuben is Hesed and leans to the left, since he took the rest of the tribes with him to his banner—Shimon and Gad—which are left, as he started from the right and leaned to the left.

55) Judah started from the left because he came from the left, Malchut, and Malchut is built from the left. Then he clung to the right, and the tabernacle, too, was made on that side, beginning from the left and clinging to the right, since the tabernacle is Malchut. Hence, Bezalel, who came from the side of Judah, made the tabernacle and it was established in his place since he is similar to the tabernacle. The Creator desired him and chose him from among all of Israel to that work of the tabernacle.

56) He gave him wisdom and understanding and knowledge because to begin with, he had the understanding of the heart with him, as it is written, “And in the heart of every wisehearted, I have placed wisdom,” since he was already wisehearted. “For this reason I placed wisdom in him.” It is so because the Creator gives wisdom only to those in whom there is wisdom. Likewise, Bezalel, in whom there was wisdom, the Creator gave him wisdom. Bezalel, Betzel El [in the shadow of God], the name caused him, and he was called so after his wisdom.

57) “Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest, so is my beloved.” “In his shade I took delight and sat, and his fruit, sweet to my palate.” “In his shade” is Bezalel, who established the tabernacle and made it. “I took delight and sat” means that the tabernacle is pleasant to sit in, giving delight to the Assembly of Israel, and the Assembly of Israel dwells in the shadow of God. This is Bezalel.

58) “And his fruit was sweet to my palate” is ZA, who makes good fruits in the world. Fruits are the souls of the righteous, who are the fruit of the work of the Creator. A river that comes out of Eden is Yesod de ZA, which brings out and throws souls into the world, and they are the fruits of the Creator.

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59) “In his shade” is Bezalel. Hence, the establishment of the tabernacle was by Bezalel, which is why it is written, “And Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur.” “Son of Uri” is the light of the sun that comes out. This is the right. “The son of Hur” is the left, hence the Din of the Creator is completed in him in the deed with the calf, which the mixed multitude killed.

60) It is written, “All the gold that was made for the work.” From the time when Israel gave it, it was already made and established above before, in all the holy work. All the gold was already made and corrected in all the holy work above, since in each degree, gold was established in it, as there is no wholeness except Rachamim and Din. For this reason the gold would go in all the work of the tabernacle, in all the degrees of Malchut, in every work that is called “holy.”

61) The Creator desires Din in everything, mingling Hesed and Din with one another. For this reason, he extends the Din for the wicked of the world. If He wishes Din, why is He patient and removes it from the wicked? How many sages have been uprooted for not knowing the real reason? But Rabbi Shimon disclosed several things in that.

62) The Din that the Creator desires is a clear Din, which evokes love and joy. It is the Din of the left line after it unites with the right line. At that time it is wine that delights God and people. The same applies to gold, but when the wicked are in the world, they are all the Din of filth, they are all Din which the Creator has no wish for at all. For this reason, we must not mingle the holy Din with the Din of filth, until the Din of filth is naturally consumed and the wickedness vanishes from the world, since the Din of filth in it removes it from the world.

When the Wicked Sprout Up Like Grass63) “When the wicked sprout up like grass, and all who did iniquity flourished, to be destroyed forever.” “Like grass” means like grass in a dry land. It is dry, and when water is poured on it, it blossoms and the dryness departs from it. It is as a tree that has been cut, and springs once more, but it is only decorations, one next to the other, which are only springing branches, and a tree never springs from there, like the tree that was in the beginning. That is, “When the wicked sprout up,” and it is all in order to destroy them forever, to uproot them from their root and from everything.

64) The Creator is patient with the wicked in this world because this world is the part of the Sitra Achra. The next world is the part of Kedusha, the part of the righteous so that those righteous are in it in the crown of the glory of their Master. These two sides stand one opposite the other: the next world is the side of Kedusha, and this world is the side of Tuma’a [impurity]. One stands for the righteous, and one stands for the wicked. It is all one opposite the other. Happy are the righteous, for they have no part in this world, but in the next world.

42 Offerings of Balak65) Everything is established and revealed before the Creator. Although Balak and Balaam did not intend for the Creator with their offerings, all is set up before Him, and does not reduce their reward in this world at all. At that time, they ruled over Israel through their offering, which caused 24,000 people to depart from Israel, besides all those who were killed. And the Lord said to Moses, “Take all the heads of the people and condemn them to the Lord.” Until now that offering is hanging to avenge Israel. They built seven altars and offered sacrifices on them, 42 in total.

66) Balaam and Balak made these 42 offerings and took them from the Sitra Achra to the Creator. For this reason, the offering was hanging, so the Sitra Achra would take it from

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Israel. This is called “a curse,” but until now she did not take from them. It is written about Elisha, “And he turned back and saw them,” the boys who were teasing him and told him, “Go up, you baldhead.” “And he turned back” means after Divinity, since the Sitra Achra stands in the back. “And saw them” means he looked and saw in those 42 children, the Sitra Achra, who is called “a curse,” and he saw them as deserving punishment.” Hence, “[he] cursed them in the name of the Lord.” “In the name of the Lord,” to take out the name of the Creator from the necessity of the offering that Balaam and Balak offered. All is corrected before the Creator and nothing is lost. Similarly, all is corrected before the Creator, for better and for worse.

67) Because David ran away from Saul, he caused all the priests of the city of Nob to be lost. Of all of them, only Eviatar, who fled, remained. This caused Israel several ills: Saul and his sons died, and several thousands and tens of thousands of Israel died. Yet, it was David who had to repent for that sin, until all of David’s sons were lost in a single day, and only Yoash remained. He was stolen by Yehosheva, daughter of Yoram, just as only Eviatar remained of Ahimelech, and until today that sin is hanging, to sentence Nob for that sin of Nob, as it is written, “Yet today he will halt at Nob.”

All the Gold that Is Made for the Work68) The Creator looked when Israel gave the gold for the calf and preceded this gold for them as a cure, since He preceded for them the gold of the tabernacle before the gold of the calf. It is so because they gave all that gold which they had as a contribution to the tabernacle. But can it be that there was gold with them when they made the calf? Did they tear off their ears to take that gold, as it is written, “Then all the people tore off the gold rings which were in their ears”? This is why He preceded the gold of the contribution, to atone for the deed with the calf.

69) Bezalel is from the side of Malchut. He did all that the Lord commanded to Moses, since all the crafts of the tabernacle was set up in them and by them. Bezalel did the work, and then Moses would set everything up. Moses and Bezalel were as one—Moses above, Tifferet, and Bezalel below him, Yesod. The end of the Guf is as a Guf, since Yesod and Tifferet are one. Bezalel is right, Hesed, and Oholiab is left, Din. It is all one, for they are included in one another. This is why it is written, “Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah ... And ... with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan.”

And He Turned Back and Saw Them71) “And he turned back and saw them.” “And he turned back” means that he looked behind him whether or not they repented. “And saw them” means that he saw in them that no corrected seed would come out of them. “And saw them,” meaning that they were made on the night of Yom Kippur [Day of Atonement], that then their mother was impregnated with them. Promptly, “[he] cursed them in the name of the Lord.”

72) “And he turned back” means that he looked at them, whether he would be punished for them. He turned away from that thing, meaning turned away from their punishment. “And saw them,” meaning saw that they would do several harms in Israel.

73) “And he turned back,” as it is written, “And his wife looked behind him,” behind Divinity, and saw that all their mothers were impregnated on the night of Yom Kippur. Promptly, “[he] cursed them in the name of the Lord.” “And two bears [in female form] came out of the woods.” It should have said, “Two bears [in male form].” But they were females,

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and their children were with them, which is why he says “bears [in male form]” and not “bears [in female form].” “And tore up forty-two children of them,” corresponding to the offerings of Balak.

Gold from Below Upward, and Silver from Above Downward74) “And the gold of the wave offering,” why is it called “the gold of the wave offering” and the silver is not called “of the wave offering”? There are two who are called that: the gold of the wave offering, and the bronze of the wave offering. It is not called “The silver of the wave offering” because the waving is departing upward. Gold is illumination of Hochma in the left line, bronze is Tifferet, the middle line, which consists of Hochma, for the illumination of Hochma illuminates only from below upward.

It is so below, in the Klipot, and it is not the gold of the wave offering because the Sitra Achra extends the Hochma on the left from above downward, and they are not in waving, like the Kedusha. Waving means lifting up, and not lowering down. Silver is Hassadim, and it is permitted to extend it below. This is why it is not written, “Silver of the wave offering.”

75) The illumination of Hochma is called “calculation,” when all the degrees and Merkavot are in waving, illuminating from below upward. This is the gold of the wave offering. The gold, illumination of Hochma, is all that extends below, blocking the vision, the good, and its light. When it is in waving, from below upward, it is a good gold with its light, and every gold that extends below is waste of gold, its fusion, Klipa, and Sitra Achra.

When Hochma extends from the left line, from above downward, she cancels the right line and is in dispute with it. At that time, Hochma is without Hassadim from the right, and therefore her illumination is blocked, for Hochma cannot illuminate without Hassadim. However, once the middle line comes and unites the two lines in one another, it sustains the illumination of both of them in a way that they do not contradict one another, so the light of the right will illuminate from above downward, and the light of Hochma on the left will illuminate only from below upward. When the two lines unite with each other, the Hochma dresses in Hassadim and she illuminates completely, but only from below upward.

However, the Klipot and the Sitra Achra grip only to the left, when it is disputed with the right, extending the Hochma from above downward. Yet, she is dark and full of Dinim. This is why it is said, “And all that gold that extends below is waste of gold, it is its fusion, Klipa, and Sitra Achra.

76) “And the silver of those of the congregation who were numbered.” Silver is the light of Hassadim from the right line. Anything that expands below in this way is good. And although it is not by waving from below upward, it is good. But with gold, which is illumination of Hochma from the left line, anything that expands below is bad. This is why there must be waving of gold, raising, and silver should spread below and to all the sides because it is all good.

77) It is written, “For the Lord God is a sun and a shield; the Lord gives grace and glory.” The sun is the Creator, the holy name, HaVaYaH, ZA, in which all the degrees are in contentment. A shield is the holy name Elokim, Malchut, as it is written, “I am a shield to you.” “I,” Malchut, is called “Am a shield to you.” And the sun and the shield are a complete name, indicating ZA and Malchut in one bonding. “The Lord gives grace and glory,” meaning that Elokim will be a shield, and HaVaYaH will give grace and glory, so all will be one. Although

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grace and glory are extended in contentment, and a shield is extended with force to one who has enemies, they come as one, from the bonding of HaVaYaH and Elokim.

78) “No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.” It is written, “From the wicked their light is withheld.” For this reason, here he says that He will not withhold good from those who walk uprightly. This is the first light, Hesed, of which it is written, “And God saw the light, that it was good,” concealing it from the wicked and denying them in this world and in the next world. But to the righteous, He will not withhold the good for those who walk uprightly.

79) For this reason, the first light does not need ascending from below upward or waving, but rather expansion and disclosure, and not to ascend like the left, gold. This is why it is called “the gold of waving” and not silver. Also, this is why it is written, “And the silver of those of the congregation who were numbered,” and it is not written, “silver of the wave offering.”

80) The right side is always posed to keep the whole world, illuminate, and bless it. Therefore, the priest, the right side, Hesed, is always ready to bless the people, since all the blessings of the world come from the right side, and the priest takes first. For this reason, the priest was appointed on blessings above and below—the Hesed above, and the priest below.

81) When the priest stretches his hands to bless the people, Divinity comes over him and fills his hands. He raises the right hand over the left hand, to elevate the right and make it stronger than the left. Then, all the degrees in which the priest stretches his hands are blessed from the source of everything. The source of the well is a righteous, Yesod. The source of everything is the next world, Bina, from which all the faces, all the Mochin illuminate, for it is the spring and the source of everything, and all the candles and lights are lit from there.

82) As in Bina, the source and the spring of the well, which is Yesod, all those candles below—Malchut’s Sefirot—are illuminated and filled with lights from it. Bina is the source that gives to all. Likewise, Yesod is the source that gives to Malchut. For this reason, when the priest stretches his hands and begins to bless the people, high blessings are on him, from a high source—Bina—to light up the candles. Then all the faces shine and the Assembly of Israel, Malchut, is crowned in high crowns, and all the blessings come down and are drawn from above downward.

Calculation and a Number83) Moses commanded and Bezalel did, so that all would be in the body—Moses, Tifferet—and the end of the body—the holy covenant, Bezalel—to increase love and the tie of unification in the tabernacle, in Malchut. All was done in the right. Hence, wherever there is the right side, the evil eye does not control it. This is why it is written, “And the silver of those of the congregation who were numbered.” It is counted by a calculation, which is illumination of Hochma. It is not written in regard to it, “Silver of the wave offering,” since that silver comes from the right, Hesed, hence everything is counted by a number, Hitkalelut [mingling/integration] with the left. For this reason, everything is given from above downward.

84) But there is no blessing in a thing that is measured and calculated, so why was everything calculated in the tabernacle? Wherever the side of Kedusha is on it, meaning that it extends from the middle line, uniting right and left. If the calculation comes from the side of Kedusha, there is always blessing on it, and it does not depart from him. How do we know? From the

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tithing: because the calculation comes to the holiness, there is blessing in it. It is even more so with the tabernacle, which is holiness and comes from the side of holiness.

85) But with all other things in the world, which are not from the side of Kedusha, there is no blessing on them when they are calculated, since the Sitra Achra, who is evil-eyed, can control it. And because he can control it, there is no blessing in it, so that blessings will not touch that evil-eyed one.

86) Blessings are always added to measurement of Kedusha and to calculation of Kedusha. This is why it is written, “And the silver of those of the congregation who were numbered,” meaning in calculation. “Them that were numbered of the congregation,” and there is no fear of the evil eye and of any calculation because the blessings are in everything from above.

87) The evil eye has no control over the descendents of Joseph because he comes from the right side. This is why the tabernacle was made by Bezalel, for he is on the side of Joseph, the holy covenant, Yesod. For this reason, Moses commands and Bezalel does, so that all will be in the body—Moses, Tifferet—and the end of the body—Bezalel, Yesod, the token of the holy covenant—to increase the love and the tie of unification in the tabernacle—Malchut.

Everything was done on the right. This is why it is written, “And the silver of those of the congregation who were numbered was a hundred talents,” for a calculation is a calculation of great, appointed degrees, GAR, which unite on the right. This is why it is written “A hundred talents,” indicating ten Sefirot, in each of which are ten, for there is GAR in them.

88) It is written, “The eyes of the Lord are to the righteous, and His ears are to their cry.” So why do we see righteous in this world who cannot even obtain food, like crows in the field?

89) All the creations in the world are known above, either to the side of Kedusha or to the side of the Sitra Achra. The ones who are known above to the Kedusha, Her Providence is always on them. Those who are known to Tuma’a, her providence is always upon them. Where the Providence from Kedusha governs, the Sitra Achra will not govern him and will never approach him. He will not be able to move him from his place in all that he does. It is written about it, “The eyes of the Lord are to the righteous,” and because of that, the Sitra Achra will not be able to govern them.

90) But wherever there is Kedusha, even though it is under calculation, the blessing is not denied. And Israel are holy, coming from the side of holiness, as it is written, “Israel was holy to the Lord.” It is also written, “And you will be holy, for I am holy.” Why was there death in them when David calculated Israel, as it is written, “And the Lord sent a plague upon Israel from the morning until the appointed time”?

91) It is because He did not take Shekels for proceeds from them, as it is written, “And each of them shall give a ransom for himself to the Lord when you number them, and there will be no plague among them when you number them.” It is so because holiness must give the proceeds of the holiness, yet it was not taken from them because Israel are holy, standing without calculation. Hence, proceeds must be taken from them, which can be calculated, while they are not calculated.

92) This is because holiness is the highest of all the degrees, upper AVI. As holiness exceeds everything, and has another holiness outside, below, which stands below it—YESHSUT—clothing upper AVI from the outside and being calculated and counted, so are Israel holiness, as it is written, “Israel was holy to the Lord.” They give another holiness—their proceeds—which is to be calculated.

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Israel are the tree that stands inside, opposite upper AVI. The proceeds that are given are another holiness, which stands outside and is to be calculated, corresponding to YESHSUT. Also, one protects the other.

The calculation is the Mochin of illumination of Hochma. Upper AVI are in Hassadim that are covered from illumination of Hochma. Only in YESHSUT, which clothe them, does the root of illumination of Hochma appear.

Israel correspond to the holiness in AVI. For this reason, they are not to be calculated, like upper AVI. Rather, they give ransom for their souls, corresponding to YESHSUT, which are to be calculated. At that time, they protect one another, having the blessings from AVI and having the calculation from YESHSUT, extended through the ransom that they give. Therefore, when David made the calculation in Israel without a ransom, the plague broke out in them, since Israel themselves are incalculable and the Kedusha of upper AVI departed them.

93) “Yet the number of the children of Israel will be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered.” What is, “Like the sand of the sea”? There are two manners here: 1. “Like the sand of the sea” means that when the sea raises its waves in anger and the waves come up to wash the world over, when they come and see the sand of the sea, they promptly break and turn back quiet, and cannot rule and wash the world over.

94) Similarly, Israel are like the sand of the sea. When the rest of the nations, the waves of the sea—angry, with harsh Dinim—see that Israel are connected to the Creator, they turn back and break before them, and cannot rule over the world. 2. The sand of the sea is incalculable; it cannot be calculated or measured, as it is written, “Which cannot be measured or numbered.” So are Israel: incalculable and cannot be measured.

95) There is a concealed and hidden measuring, AVI, and there is a calculation that stands in concealment, concealed and hidden, YESHSUT. Although the illumination of Hochma appears in them, which is a calculation, there is no disclosure in their own place. Rather, it is concealed and hidden, and only in Malchut does the Hochma in them appear. One is measured and one is calculated. This is the keeping of everything above and below, since it is never known on what stands the measuring in AVI—the measure of the level of Hassadim in them. Also, it is unknown what the calculation in YESHSUT stands on, and this is the faith of all.

96) Israel below are counted only in covered Hassadim. The proceeds that they give opposite YESHSUT are calculable. Therefore, when Israel are calculated, proceeds are taken from them. This is why in David’s days, when he counted Israel and did not take a ransom from them, there was anger and several hosts and camps were lost from Israel.

97) For this reason, it is written about the work of the tabernacle, “And the silver of them that were numbered of the congregation,” and it is written, “For every one who passed over to them who are numbered,” meaning the calculation. Everything was sanctified for the work of the tabernacle.

“Talents” are as it is written, “A hundred talents,” one calculation. “Shekels” are as it is written, “1,775 shekels, according to the shekel of the holiness,” another calculation. There are upper ones, which rise for a superior calculation—the lights in YESHSUT, Bina, who is the upper calculation, talents—and there are others, who come up to a different calculation—the calculation in ZA, who illuminates to Malchut. One is superior and one is inferior. This is why it is written, “The hundred talents of silver were for casting the foundations of the

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holiness.” These are the sockets, who is Malchut in general, who is called ADNI, receiving from a higher calculation, from Bina.

If the Lord Does Not Build the House98) “A song of ascents for Solomon: If the Lord does not build the house, its builders work in it in vain.” King Solomon said this verse when he was building the Temple. When he began to build, he saw that the work was being completed in their hands and it was being built by itself. At that time, he started and said, “If the Lord does not build the house,” as it is written, “In the beginning God created,” since the Creator created and established this world, Malchut, a home, with all that is needed.

99) It is written, “Its builders work in it in vain.” Its builders are the rivers, the Sefirot of ZA, all of which come and go within this house, the Malchut, to correct it in all that is needed. And although they all come to correct and to make its correction, without the Lord, which is the world of correction, Bina, which established and made the house as it should be, those builders would be in vain. Rather, the important thing is what Bina made and established. “If the Lord does not guard the city, the watchman watches in vain,” as it is written, “The eyes of the Lord your God are always on her, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year.” By this Providence she is kept from all sides.

100) It is written, “Here is Solomon’s bed, sixty mighty men surrounding it, from the mighty men of Israel.” Solomon’s bed is Malchut. Why are they all keeping it? It is written, “For fear at nights,” the fear of Hell that stands opposite her so she would repel it. This is why they all surround it.

101) Although they are all standing in illumination of the thought that is unknown, Rosh de Atik, called RADLA, at that time the light of the thought that is unknown strikes the light of that Parsa, which separates her from the three Roshim [pl. of Rosh] of AA, the separation is revoked, and they illuminate together. The three Roshim de AA went up to RADLA after the Parsa was revoked, and they illuminate together with RADLA. Also, the three Roshim de AA were included in one another, each was included in all three of them, and they became nine palaces.

Through Malchut’s ascent to Bina in each degree, which ended the degree below Malchut, a Parsa was made there—the Sium [end] of the degree—so Bina and TM of each degree fell from each degree to the degree below it. Thus, Bina and TM of Rosh de Atik fell into the three Roshim de AA, and a Parsa was placed below the Hochma de Atik. Additionally, Bina and TM of each of the three Roshim de AA fell to the Rosh below it, and Bina and TM of the third Rosh of AA fell to AVI.

Afterwards, at the time of Gadlut, an illumination is extended from AB SAG de AK, lowering again the Malchut from Bina to her own place, and canceling the boundary and the Sium of the Parsa in the middle of the degree. At that time Bina and TM that fell from each degree rise once more to their initial degree before they fell taking with them the lower degree where they were fallen. It follows that then, when Bina and TM of Rosh de Atik that fell to the three Roshim of AA return and rise to their place in Rosh de Atik, which is called RADLA, they also elevate with them the three Roshim de AA to Rosh de Atik, and the three Roshim of AA are called Kitra, Avira, and HS.

They all stand in the illumination of the thought that is unknown after the Parsa between RADLA and the three Roshim de AA have been set up, for which those same diminutions that

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are done in RADLA are done in the three Roshim, where each ends below the Hochma, and Bina and TM fell to the degree below them. However, afterwards the light of the thought that is unknown, RADLA, strikes the light of the Parsa that extended illumination from AB SAG de AK, and cancelled the Sium of the Parsa that separates it from the three Roshim of AA. Thus, Bina and TM de RADLA returned with the three Roshim de AA and rose to the place of RADLA due to the cancellation of the Parsa, illuminating along with RADLA.

Once the three Roshim de AA that rose to RADLA were included in one another there, until each of them consists of three, nine palaces were made of them in RADLA. However, those nine palaces illuminate in AA, too, although there they are called “lights.”

102) Palaces are not lights. Neither are they spirits, nor souls, and there is no one who stands in them. The desire of all nine lights, all of which are in a thought, which is one of them in the calculation, meaning an inclusion of the three Roshim de AA in one another in the place of HS de AA, called “a thought,” being one of the three Roshim de AA. They all wish to chase the nine palaces in RADLA and attain them while standing in the thought, in HS. That is, while the nine lights—which are Hitkalelut [inclusion] of the three Roshim of AA in HS—are in HS, outside RADLA, they wish to attain the nine palaces in the place of RADLA.

The reason is that they receive all their Mochin from those nine palaces, but they neither attain nor are they known, for they are absent in both the desire and the upper thought. They have perception in them, receiving Mochin from them, but they do not perceive them, for they are imperceptible. The whole of faith stands in those, and all those lights from the upper thought, HS below RADLA, are called Ein Sof. It is so because thus far the lights reach and do not reach, and they are unknown because there are neither will nor thought here, for this HS is hidden and does not illuminate to the lower ones whatsoever.

103) Rosh de AA is called “a thought.” When he illuminates, when the power of the Parsa is cancelled, when he brings his Bina and TM back to him—who also elevate the lower one with them, AVI and YESHSUT—and it is not known from whom he illuminates because the thought of AA is unattainable, at that time his light clothes and becomes hidden in Bina. It is so because Bina cannot receive without Hassadim, hence the light in her becomes concealed. Afterwards, the Hassadim illuminate and Hochma and Hassadim become included in one another until all are included together. Then they illuminate to all the Partzufim of Atzilut.

In an offering, when everything rises, when Bina and TM of each degree rise to her degree and elevate the lower ones in which they were fallen along with them, they become tied to one another and illuminate in one another. This is so because every lower one that rises to the upper one becomes tied to it, and thus receives the Mochin of the upper one. Therefore, each lower one is tied to the upper one, and each upper one illuminates to the lower one. At that time all the degrees are in an ascent to the upper one, and the thought, AA, rises and crowns in Ein Sof, RADLA, being tied to RADLA in an ascent, and therefore illuminates in him. The light from which the upper thought, AA, illuminates, RADLA, is called Ein Sof.

104) When the thought—Rosh de AA—illuminated, and forces expanded from it—meaning the Bina that rose to him and received Hochma from him expanded downward—that thought became hidden, concealed, and unknown, as in itself, it is hidden and does not illuminate to the lower ones at all. From Rosh de AA, it expanded in expansion to all the sides. Also, one expansion expanded from him, being the upper world, Bina.

105) The upper world is in a question. It is the upper utterance, Bina, who is called MI, as it is written, “Lift up your eyes on high and see who created these.” The question that created

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these is MI [who], Bina. She created ELEH [these], which are VAK de ZA. Afterwards, MI expanded and became a sea, the end of all the degrees below, Malchut. From Bina, he began to build below, in Malchut, and did everything in Malchut in the very same way as above, in Bina—one opposite the other. This is why Bina is the keeping of everything above and below.

It is so because each Sefira and degree receives its Mochin from a higher one through ascents of the lower one to the upper one. However, by that, each has its own Behina [essence/discernment], as well, besides what it took from the upper one.

The exception is Malchut, since in itself, Malchut is unfit for the upper light because the Tzimtzum [restriction] is over her. However, through her ascent to Bina, she receives her Kelim and lights from him, and all that exists in Bina, exists in Malchut in the very same way. Therefore, the letters of Malchut are as the letters of Bina, since Bina is called MI [“who,” consisting of Mem-Yod], and Malchut is Yam [“sea,” consisting of Yod-Mem].

Likewise, in the name HaVaYaH, the first Hey is Bina and the bottom Hey is Malchut. This is why Bina is regarded as the keeping of everything, for she keeps Malchut from being gripped by the outer ones, since she gives her Kelim and lights to her.

106) The expansion of the upper world from the thought, from HS de AA, is this Bina, which is called “the upper world,” as it is written, “If the Lord does not guard the city, the watchman watches in vain.” This is the keeper of Israel, ZA, for the keeping does not stand in ZA, but in the upper world, Bina.

107) The azure of the tabernacle stands in the upper one. Azure is Malchut and purple is Tifferet. One connects to one, so that ZA and Malchut will unite. “For the Lord your God is consuming fire.” There is fire that consumes fire, eating it and consuming it, because there is fire that is stronger than fire.

The 1,775108) Moses forgot those shekels and did not know what was done with them until a voice came out and said, “Of the 1,775, he made hooks for the pillars.” Half of the shekels that every one of Israel gave as ransom for their souls are considered YESHSUT. It is written about them, “And the silver of them that were numbered of the congregation was a hundred talents and 1,775 shekels, according to the shekel of the holiness.”

Talents and shekels are two degrees, Panim [anterior] and Achoraim [posterior] of YESHSUT. The 100 talents are the Panim of YESHSUT, and the 1,775 shekels are the Achoraim of YESHSUT, Bina and TM that fell from YESHSUT when they were considered the point of the Holam. Essentially, they are 775 shekels, where 700 are seven Sefirot of Bina, whose digits are hundreds, 70 are seven Sefirot of Tifferet, whose digits are tens, and five are HGT NH de Malchut, whose digits are units. However, once they returned and reunited with their degree, to KH de YESHSUT, which are the Panim that remained in the degree, those Bina and TM were included with the Sefirot of Hochma de YESHSUT, as well, who is 1,000, and the number 1,775 was made.

This is why Moses forgot them, for when they fell from the degree of YESHSUT and were not seen there, they are deemed forgotten and it is not known what has become of them. Afterwards, when the point of Shuruk arrived and brought them back to their degree in YESHSUT as blocked and not illuminating—and later by the point of Hirik, the middle line that united the right and the left—the Bina and TM de YESHSUT illuminated once again, and became hooks for pillars.

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These are the shekels. Moses forgot them during the exit of the right line from the point of Holam, at which time they fell from the degree of YESHSUT and were forgotten. Later, too, at the point of Shuruk, the left line that brought them back to the degree of YESHSUT, they were still forgotten because they were blocked without light until a voice, the middle line, came out and they reappeared. At that time Moses remembered them, as it is written, “Of the 1,775, he made hooks for the pillars.”

109) It is written, “While the king sat at his table, my perfume gave forth its fragrance.” “While the king sat at his table” is the Creator, Bina, when He gave the Torah to Israel and came to Sinai. That is, when Bina disclosed the Mochin de Yechida de ZA that illuminated at the time of the giving of the Torah to Israel. There were several Merkavot with Him, all of which are holy Merkavot, left line, as well as all the upper sanctities from the upper Kedusha of the Torah, the right line. They were all there, and the Torah, the middle line, was given in flames of fire. Everything was of fire, written in white fire, from the side of Hesed, over black fire, from the side of Gevura. It is so because the middle line consists of HG, right and left, and the letters were flying and ascending through the air. In the air, the lower degrees would fly and rise up to the upper ones.

110) The first letter of the Torah was divided into 775 to each side, and all were seen in the air of the firmament in the letter Vav: a Vav to this side, and a Vav to that side, and likewise to all the sides.

The Torah is ZA. The first letter of the Torah implies the letter Aleph, which is the first letter in the giving of the Torah, the Aleph of Anochi [“I”]. This is the 1,000 in the number 1,775 [Aleph-Lamed-Peh spell both Aleph and 1,000 in Hebrew], the first Sefira of ZA, Hochma, as ZA begins with Hochma, and Hochma is called 1,000, as it is written, “And I will teach you wisdom [Hochma]” [here “teaching” is spelled similar to the number 1,000]. This is his Kli de Panim that remains in the degree upon the exit of the Holam, but the three Sefirot—Bina and TM—in him fell at that time from their degree to the degree below.

The first letter of the Torah, Aleph, Hochma, divided into 775. It was divided, meaning Bina and TM fell from it, since the seven Sefirot de Bina are 700, and the seven Sefirot de Tifferet are seventy, and five Sefirot HGT NH of Malchut are five. Also, the fall of these Bina and TM was to each of the four sides, HG TM.

Afterwards, by the exit of the points Shuruk and Hirik, the left line and middle line, the fallen Bina and TM rose back up to their degree, to ZA, ascending above Parsa de ZA, who is called “firmament,” and connecting with the Aleph of ZA from the firmament and above. They, too, were included in that 1,000 and became 1,775, for the Hochma, which is 1,000 was included in them.

Also, all were seen in the air of the firmament in the letter Vav, meaning returning and rising to their degree. They were seen means that they were included in the illumination of Hochma, which is called “vision.” They were included in the middle line, the letter Vav, and because of that Hitkalelut in the middle line, these 1,775 lights are called “hooks.”

111) These hooks would stand on pillars—NH de ZA—and those pillars stand on the banner, illuminating to Malchut, who is called “a banner,” with all the hooks upon them. They all illuminate to Malchut because the Torah stands on Vav, the middle line. Hence, the 1,775 lights included in them are called “hooks.” The hooks are the faith of the Torah. They all stand on pillars—NH de ZA—from which prophets come out, meaning from which the

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prophets who illuminate in the four directions—HG TM—receive, and the hooks stand on those pillars.

Once the 775 lights, which are Bina and TM de ZA that fell and descended from ZA rose back up above the firmament of ZA, above his Chazeh, they were included there with the Hochma in him, and became 1,775 lights, since they were included with illumination of Hochma, who is called 1,000. Yet, the illumination of Hochma in them cannot illuminate there above Chazeh de ZA, for there the Hassadim are covered from illumination of Hochma. Rather, they descend from Chazeh de ZA and below to his two Sefirot NH, which are called “pillars,” where the illumination of Hochma in them appears.

It was said that those hooks stood on pillars because those 1,775 lights that are called “hooks” are not poised to reveal the Hochma in them, but only in pillars, which are NH de ZA, and not above the Chazeh. However, the place of disclosure of Hochma is only in Malchut. Those are the pillars that stand on the banner, where NH gives illumination of Hochma in the hooks to Malchut, who is called “a banner.”

This explains the verse, “While the king sat at his table, my perfume gave forth its fragrance.” ZA says, “While the king,” Bina, “sat at his table,” was causing the correction of the three lines of ZA from the Mochin de Yechida on Mount Sinai, then “My perfume,” my declined and fallen Bina and TM, which are 1,775 hooks, “gave forth its fragrance,” the illumination of Hochma to Malchut, who is called “a banner.”

“Sat at his table,” since “Sat at his table” means causing the three lines, since illumination of Hochma appears only during the causing of the three lines. And when the causing stops, the illumination of Hochma stops shining. For this reason, when The Zohar begins to interpret the words, it also interprets the three lines of ZA, indicating that the disclosure of Mochin on Mount Sinai was with the turning of the three lines.

112) The upper Vav is the audible sound, ZA, in which the Torah stands. This is because the Torah, ZA, emerges from the inner voice in Bina, called “a great sound,” and the great sound in Bina is the Torah from which she emerges. This is why it is written, “With a great voice, and He added no more,” since the Torah comes out of him.

113) This great voice is the core of everything and the meaning of the holy name; it is the Daat in Bina. For this reason, it is forbidden for a person to greet his friend before he has prayed his prayer, as it is written, “He who blesses his friend with a loud voice early in the morning, it will count for him as a curse.” It is not forbidden until he blesses him with a loud voice, which is the core of the holy name, such as when he said to him, “May the Lord bless you.” But when he does not mention the name, it is not forbidden.

114) Hence, the Torah comes out of a great voice in Bina, and this is a king, as it is written, “While the king sat at his table.” This is the standing at Mount Sinai, where the three lines of ZA appeared. “My perfume gave forth its fragrance” is the Assembly of Israel, Malchut, since 1,775 hooks are called “My perfume,” after having fallen and descended from the degree of ZA. They gave a fragrance, illumination of Hochma, to the Assembly of Israel, Malchut, and all that was because Israel said, “All that the Lord has said, we shall do and we shall hear.” By that, they were rewarded with the full revelation of the upper king, Bina.

115) When the Creator brought the flood over the world to destroy everything, the Creator said to Noah, “You should be careful not to show yourself to the destroyer, the angel of death, so he will not rule over you,” since there was no one to protect him. When the offering that Noah sacrificed was offered, the world was perfumed. Yet, it was not so perfumed until Israel

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stood at Mount Sinai. Then the world was perfumed and the destroyer was no longer present in the world.

116) At that time, the Creator wished to remove the destroyer from the world, so that death would be swallowed up forever. However, some time afterwards, Israel sinned and made the calf. And then, “And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments, from Mount Horeb.” Their ornaments is the holy name that the Creator crowned them upon the giving of the Torah, and which was taken from them. At that time the destroyer ruled over the world and returned as before, as when it was ruling the world and executing Din on people.

117) Who placed the destroyer there at the time of the flood? The water prevailed and obliterated the entire universe, so how could Noah keep himself from the destroyer? There is no Din in the world—or when the world is struck by Din—in which that destroyer is not present. He walks among those Dinim that are done in the world.

Here, too, there was a flood, and the destroyer was walking in the midst of the flood, and he is called “a flood.” This is why the Creator told Noah to hide himself and not be seen in the world.

118) “Of the 1,775, he made hooks for the pillars.” Why hooks? They were like a Vav [the letter Vav [ ], but also “hook”], extending from the middle line, which is called a Vav. “And overlaid their tops” with gold. They themselves were from silver, light of Hassadim, and their heads, the GAR, were covered with gold, illumination of Hochma. Because every Vav comes on the side of Rachamim, ZA, the middle line, and they were all known above by calculation, in illumination of Hochma, and because they came from the side of Rachamim, middle line, this is why they are called “hooks” [Vavs].

The rest of the Sefirot in them depend on them, and Vav is only silver and gold together, including the two lines, right and left, Hassadim and illumination of Hochma. This is why they are called “hooks of the pillars.” It is written that the pillars are two, NH, since they were standing outside the body, from Tifferet, below Chazeh de ZA, the place of disclosure of illumination of Hochma.

119) Is this holy work or secular? After all, it is written, “Of the one thousand.” It is also written there, “My very own vineyard is before me, the thousand are for you, Solomon.” There, the 1,000 are secular. Is the 1,000 secular here, as well?

120) It is not so, for if it were secular, they would not be made into hooks. Moreover, there it is written, “The thousand,” and not more, but here it is written, “Of the 1,775.” Therefore, they are not to be compared to one another. There, the 1,000 are secular, as it is written, “The thousand are for you, Solomon.” It is secular because anything secular is not on the side of Kedusha at all. Secular is on the side of Tuma’a, hence there is a Havdalah between holy and secular [Havdalah: distinction between Sabbath and weekdays, holy and secular], as there is a need to distinguish holy from secular. It is written about it, “And distinguish between the holy and the secular, between the impure and the pure.

121) Yet, even though there is distinction between holy and secular, the secular has one part of the holy, from the left of the Kedusha, as it is written, “The thousand are for you, Solomon,” which are a thousand secular days [also weekdays in Hebrew]. These are the days of exile. As there are a thousand days in holiness, there are a thousand days to the other side. This is why the friends said that the days of the exile are a thousand years.

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Four Klipot—Stormy Wind, Great Cloud, Blazing Fire, and Noga [Shine]—are presented in Ezekiel. Noga is holy from its Chazeh up, and secular from its Chazeh down. Noga is entirely from the left, for it extends the Hochma that is on the left. Hence, when it extends from below upward, it is holy, and when it extends from above downwards, it is secular. When it is attached to Kedusha, it is guarded from extending Hochma from above downward, and then it becomes entirely holy. And when it is attached to Tuma’a [impurity], extending from above downward, it is all Tuma’a, for even the part from the Chazeh up falls into Tuma’a.

The secular has one part of the Kedusha, from the left of Kedusha, the part from Chazeh and above of Noga, who is from the left side, Kedusha. These are the days of the exile. When Israel sinned, they caused Noga to cling to Tuma’a, at which time its half Partzuf from the Chazeh and above falls into Tuma’a, and the Tuma’a has all 1,000 days of Noga, its entire ten Sefirot, which are the Hochma, who is called 1,000.

And once Solomon corrected the Noga and attached it to Kedusha, it is written about him, “The thousand are for you, Solomon,” for he brought even the half Partzuf of Noga that is from the Chazeh and below out of the Tuma’a, and returned it to Kedusha. It follows that he corrected the thousand days of the secular days, which is the entire ten Sefirot de Noga. It is written about it, “The thousand,” secular, “Are for you, Solomon,” for he returned them to Kedusha.

As there are 1,000 days in Kedusha—extension of Hochma, which is called 1,000—so there are 1,000 days to the other side, which are the ten Sefirot de Noga. They, too, extend Hochma from the left. And although half of it is holy, it still refers to the days of the exile, when it fell entirely into the Tuma’a.

122) Therefore, there is a thousand, and there is a thousand. There is a thousand of Kedusha, and there is a thousand of Tuma’a. These are a thousand years of the exile, when all ten Sefirot of Noga fell into Tuma’a. And although Israel will be in exile and will stretch over more than a thousand years, it is considered that in a thousand years they extend, not correcting them, that they are a thousand years of Noga. This is why they explained that any Solomon that is said in the Song of Songs is holiness, except this one, “The thousand are for you, Solomon.” But the thousand in the hooks of the pillars are holiness, and all his work is holiness. And this is why he made of them hooks for the pillars.

123) Wherever a Vav comes in the holy name, it is Rachamim. For example: “And HaVaYaH [the Lord] showered Sodom,” “And HaVaYaH [the Lord] said to Abraham.” It points to Rachamim and Din being together.

What is the difference that in all the places regarding the flood, it writes Elokim [God]? Why does it not write “And HaVaYaH” [and the Lord]? Wherever it writes HaVaYaH, it indicates that it is ZA and his courthouse, Malchut. And if it writes only Elokim, it is only Din.

124) In Sodom, a Din was made, but not to obliterate the world. This is why ZA mingled in the Din, included in Rachamim. But in the flood, the entire world was obliterated, as well as all who were in the world. This is why it writes Elokim there, indicating Din alone, which is not included in Rachamim. Therefore, why were Noah and those who were with him saved? It is because he was hidden from the eye. He was not seen in the world because he was in the ark. But He destroyed everything that was in the world.

125) Therefore, if it writes, “And the Lord,” it is in disclosure and does not obliterate everything. And if it writes, God, it is concealed and one should beware, for He obliterates

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everything. This is why in the flood it was only God, as it is written, “The Lord sat at the flood.” “Sat” means that He sat alone, on His own, not included with the Din of the flood.

126) The Creator is concealed and revealed. He is concealed of illumination of Hochma, illuminating only in Hassadim, and He is revealed in illumination of Hochma. “Revealed” is the courthouse of below, Malchut, in which the Hochma illuminates. “Concealed” is the place from which all the blessings come out—ZA. For this reason, every word of a person that is in concealment, there are blessings on it. And all that are revealed, the place of the courthouse is on it, as it is the place of disclosure, Malchut.

127) “While the king sat at his table” in the connection and the delight of the upper Eden, the upper Hochma that extends to Bina for the hidden and concealed one, who is unknown—Yesod de Aba. She is filled with him and comes out in certain streams, NHY de Bina. “My perfume gave forth its fragrance,” the last sea, Malchut, which created the bottom world, Malchut, such as above, Bina, and brought up the upper good scent—illumination of Hochma—to rule and to make, and he is able and rules, and illuminates in the upper light.

He is Able—through the right line, mitigating the Malchut in Bina, by which she obtains the ability to receive light. He is ruling through the left line, when she receives from him illumination of Hochma, from which the ruling comes. He illuminates through the middle line, clothing the Hochma of the left in Hassadim of the right, and then the Hochma illuminates. Before the arrival of the middle line, the left was darkness and not light.

128) When this perfume gives forth fragrance, illumination of Hochma, love connects, meaning the love of lovers that comes from the left. Then that perfume rises to unite above, to illuminate from below upward, and all the holy Merkavot receive from that perfume. They all send up scents to be crowned above, to illuminate from below upward, like the nature of the scent. These Merkavot are all called “maidens of song,” as it is written, “Upon maidens of song.” It is also written, “And maidens without number.” A number means illumination of Hochma. Because they have no calculation to them, meaning Hochma, it is written, “And maidens without number,” meaning that there is no illumination of Hochma in them. This is why they are called Alamot [maidens], from the word He’elem [concealment]. And for this reason, they need to receive illumination of Hochma from the perfume.

129) Hooks for pillars are all males that extend from ZA, a male. They ascend in the glory of the oil upward, in ZA. They are all males, and only Vav is called a “male,” heaven, ZA, being males. All those below in Malchut are called “females.” For this reason, all those who come from the left side, from the side of the Nukva, Malchut, are appointed over the song, and always sing. This is why it is written, “Upon maidens of song.” They all come out in the letter Hey, Malchut. Hey elicited several hosts and their kinds in the Vav, which are males. The Vav is the male who is poised to give food to the Nukva, Malchut.

130) For this reason, all those hooks that Bezalel made were to let them be over the Nukva, Malchut. They emerge in a thousand out of a thousand, a complete calculation. Hochma is called “calculation,” and 700, which are one whole, are the seven Sefirot HGT NHYM de Bina, whose digits are hundreds. Five is also complete, HGT NH de Malchut, whose digits are units. And 70 are HGT NHYM de ZA, whose digits are tens.

It is all one, for they are Bina and TM de ZA that fell from his degree and returned. For this reason, he made hooks of that calculation, and they are all in Vav, extended from ZA, Vav, and made in the form of Vav, from the middle line, and they were all in the upper one and calculation.

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Each Sequence Is in Three131) “And the bronze of the wave offering was 70 talents.” All this came down in the upper form of faith, Malchut. Wicked Nebuchadnezzar did likewise with that image that he erected, for God has made them one opposite the other. However, Nebuchadnezzar did not do so, but in his dream, he saw an image whose head is of gold, then silver, and then bronze. Yet, why are the iron and clay that were in the image not in the tabernacle? It is because they are not so important as to be admitted into the holy place. Conversely, those gold, silver, and bronze, which are HGT, did enter.

132) The tabernacle is in three in these metals—gold, silver, and bronze. In the rest of the things it was four, corresponding to HG TM, such as azure—Malchut, purple—Tifferet, scarlet—Gevura, and linen—Hesed, and such as the four stone-columns, opposite HG TM.

133) Some of them are in three, some are in four, some are in two, and some are in one. However, each sequence is in three. There are three sequences, divided into every direction, the four directions of the world. Also, in each sequence in Ruach there are three other sequences.

The four directions of the world are HB TM, and in ZA and Malchut they are HG TM. Although they are included in one another, they are not four Partzufim of Dalet, but three Partzufim of Dalet, which are 12. It is so because these HG TM are three lines, HGT, and Malchut who receives the three lines, since for herself, Malchut is only the three lines that she receives from ZA, her husband. This is why there are only three lines in each Ruach, in which there are 12, and not 16.

Each sequence is in three—three lines. These are three sequences, divided into every direction, where in each of the four Ruchot [pl. of Ruach] HG TM there are three lines, and in each sequence in each Ruach, in each and every line, there are three other sequences because the three lines in each Ruach are included in one another, and there are three lines in everything. It follows that there are nine lines to each direction.

134) The first order on the east, which is Tifferet, is three orders, three lines, since they are included in one another. Thus, there are nine lines, and several thousands and tens of thousands of degrees below them. These nine orders are three lines, each of which consists of three. They are all conducted by inscribed letters, the 27 letters in the alphabet—22 letters and the final letters—which double.

Each order, each line, observes, to receive its abundance to those inscribed letters of the 27 letters ascribed to it. It is likewise for each order and for each and every line—they all journey in the inscribed letters, and those are above those, standing one atop the other.

The root of the three lines is the three actions taken in the three points Holam, Shuruk, Hirik in Bina. The arrival of the letter Yod in the light of Bina, and becoming Avir—which divides the degree—is the point of Holam. The exit of the Yod from the Avir, which returns and complements the degree, but blocks the light, is the point of Shuruk. The ascent of ZA in MAN and in Masach de Hirik to unite those two points with one another and open their illumination is the point of Hirik.

Points are in Bina and letters are in ZON. The three operations from which the three lines extend are three letters that stand in the sequence of right, left, and middle, in a way that the roots of the nine lines in each of the three sides—south, north, and east—are 27 letters, nine letters to each side. And the west direction, Malchut, receives all of them into her.

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135) Those letters fly in the air of the Ruach [spirit] that is appointed over everything, meaning the arrival of the Yod in the Ohr [light], making the Avir in the right letter and the exit of the Yod from the Avir, which was made light once more. In the left letter, this Avir is appointed over the entire order of elicitation of Mochin. They all come out by an order of three lines that extend from the changes made in this Avir. At that time, all the letters travel.

One letter beats from below, the middle letter from the point of Hirik—ZA that rises to MAN, becoming a Zivug on his Masach de Hirik, educing the level of Hassadim, which unites the right and the left. That letter rises in Ohr Yashar [direct light] and descends in Ohr Hozer [reflected light], and two letters—right, from the point of Holam, and left, from the point of Shuruk—fly over the middle letter.

Also, a letter from below, the middle one, rises from below upward. This is ZA who rises to Bina and unites the two lines—right and left—in Bina. She unites in them and they become three letters, all according to the letters Yod-Hey-Vav, which are three within the illuminating mirror—ZA—where the right is Yod, the left is Hey, and the Vav is the middle one.

Three orders divide out of those, three lines. They are in two letters, which extend from Holam Shuruk, right and left of Bina. And one letter that rises, ZA, rising from below up to Bina, and connecting with them, hence they are three.

136) Those two upper letters that rise in the air—the right one and the left one—are included in one another, Hesed and Din. This is why they are two. Also, they are from the upper world—right and left in Bina—the male. They are regarded as males because Bina is a male. And the middle letter that rises and unites them with each other is a female, since being ZA that rises for MAN to Bina, it is regarded as a female compared to the two letters of Bina, and is included in both.

137) As the Nukva, Malchut, is included in both sides of ZA—right and left—and bonds with them, as it is written, “His left is under my head, and his right shall embrace me,” the middle letter, the female, bonds with the two other letters in the two sides, right and left. Those two upper letters, from Bina, and those middle ones that unite all two upper letters, are lower ones, from ZA. It is all one, male and female, where all two upper letters are males, and each letter that unites them, rising from the lower one, is a female.

138) When the world was created, when Bina emanated ZA, who is called “a world,” those two letters— the right one and the left one—that extend from Holam Shuruk, which are from the upper world, Bina, begot all the things below in ZA in their very own form. However, the middle letter that extends from Hirik has no new form in it, except that it unites the right and the left. For this reason, one who knows them and is watchful with them, is loved above and loved below.

The creation of the world, ZA, was done by the ascent of ZA for MAN to Bina, where it became the middle line, uniting the two lines—right and left in Bina. By that, he received all the Mochin that are in the two lines in Bina. It follows that all the forms that exist in the two lines, right and left, of Bina, exist in ZA. However, there is no innovation of form from the middle line of Bina, which extends from ZA, since it is considered ZA himself, who rose up there. Conversely, the two letters, right and left, are regarded as males, as givers, while the middle letter is considered a female, receiving from the males, and all three are as one body.

139) All those letters, all 27 letters in the alphabet, are male and female. Some of them are males, and some are females, to be included in the upper water, the males, and in the lower water, the females, and it is all one. This is a complete unification. Therefore, one who knows

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them and is watchful with them is happy in this world and happy in the next world because it is the essence of the complete unification as it should be.

The letters divide into groups of three, three: two males above, and one female between them, below—three, three, from this side and from that side in one unification. The right side and the left side unite through the middle one in one unification, in completeness of everything. They are all the high order in Bina. It is as when the three original lines came out in Bina and were included in one another, and three groups of three lines were made in it. Likewise, the 27 letters in Malchut, who is the tabernacle, were divided after them into groups of three letters.

140) The second order is to the south, Hesed. There are three orders, three lines, in each order, each line. There are three, three, where each of the three lines consists of all three, thus they are nine, so the letters divide on each side into right, left, and middle, as was said earlier about the east side, uniting everything together. It is so because there are female letters, male letters, they all unite as one, and they are in the complete, holy name, Yod-Vav-Hey.

There are appointed orders in them, groups of three, three, as on the east side. They all come out from the order of the patriarchs above, who are the three lines of Bina, as the order by which the letters Yod-Hey-Vav were set up in the holy name. Those nine orders are all guided by those specific letters: three groups of three letters—right, left, and middle—as in the east direction, and they journey in them. Also, several hosts and tens of thousands of angels are all below, journeying and guided in this order.

141) The third order to the north is Gevura. There are three orders to that direction, which are nine, since there are three, three, to each side in the three orders, three lines where each line consists of three, hence they are nine. Those orders are to three sides—right, left, and middle—all as in the east and south directions.

142) There are 27 orders in the letters. And although there are only 22 letters in the alphabet, the completion of the letters with the doubling final letters is 27. It follows that as the letters are 27, so is the order of orders 27—three, three orders to each of the three directions, east, south, and north. It follows that those three from the south direction are nine, for each of the three lines consists of three, hence they are nine. Likewise, the three of the north direction are nine, and the three of the east direction are nine. Altogether, they are 27.

143) Those 27 are nine letters in a female, uniting with the 18 other letters in the male. Each three letters are three lines that extend from Bina, where each two upper letters—right and left—are males, and each third one below them—uniting them—is a female. And the nine letters in each direction are three groups of three, three.

It follows that in each direction there are six male letters—three times two upper letters in each group—and three female letters—the three middle letters in each group. Thus, there are six males and three females in the east direction, and six males and three females in the south direction, as well as six males and three females in the north direction. Together, they are 18 males and nine females.

The three female letters are in each of the three directions, and three times three is nine. Six male letters are in each of the three directions, and three times six is 18. Thus, the 27 letters divide into nine females and 18 males.

144) Like those letters in the upper world, Bina, there are other letters below in Malchut. The upper letters in Bina are big, and the lower letters in Malchut are small. It is all one like the

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other: all that applies to the letters in Bina applies also to the letters in Malchut, as well as the conduct of male and female in the letters. For this reason, everything that is in Malchut is as in the upper one, in Bina.

45 Kinds of Color of Light145) The world, Malchut, was divided into 45 kinds of color of light. This is because Bina, who is called MI, after the 50 gates in her [MI is 50 in Gematria], where in each of the five Sefirot KHB TM in her there are ten Sefirot, hence they are 50. And Malchut is called MA [45 in Gematria] because she lacks the five Sefirot of Partzuf Malchut in her. Thus, she has only four and a half Partzufim.

146) The seven Sefirot HGT NHYM de ZA divide into seven deeps, Malchuts, where each Sefira of HGT NHYM de ZA spreads into ten. There are seven Malchuts, Malchut for each Sefira. Each of them strikes her deep, mating in a Zivug de Hakaa with the Masach in the Malchut in her, who is called “deep.” They raise the ten Sefirot of Ohr Hozer that clothe the ten Sefirot of Ohr Yashar, and those are called “ten Sefirot de Rosh.” The stones, meaning the Masachim [pl. of Masach], roll inside the deep, turning over to illuminate from the Masach de Malchut de Rosh and below, through Malchut de Malchut.

It follows that the light enters from the ten Sefirot de Rosh, in stones, in Masachim, and punctures those waters, the lights, which come out through the holes in the Masach until they all sink on the deep, Malchut de Malchut, the ten Sefirot de Guf through the Chazeh. The water covers the two Behinot [discernments/aspects] of the deep—Masach de Miftacha [key], and Masach de Man’ula [lock]. By that, the order of the emanation of Partzuf ZA, Rosh and Guf, has been explained.

147) The order of the emanation of the Nukva was only on Masach de Miftacha, because of which she has only 45 kinds of color of light. Water comes out through the holes in the stones of ZA, and light comes in through them and strikes the four Behinot of the deep, emitting the four Partzufim of Malchut, KHB and Tifferet. Thus, each light is included in the other, and they meet in the one, in her fifth Partzuf, Malchut de Malchut. The waters divide because they extend in it only through the Chazeh, only through Yesod de Malchut, Masach de Miftacha that is on the Chazeh. There the light stops because from the Chazeh of Malchut de Malchut downward, it is expansion of the Masach de Man’ula, and she is devoid of it. This is why she has only four and a half Partzufim, which are 45 kinds of color of light.

148) The order of the Mochin that ZA gives to Malchut is the left first, as it is written, “His left is under my head,” and then by embrace of the right, as it is written, “And his right shall embrace me.” All seven Sefirot de ZA grip to the seven deeps, their seven Malchuts, which are regarded as the left line of ZA. They mine in the darkness of the deeps—the Malchuts of Malchut—meaning they extend in her the left line from Bina, which are darkness. By that, Malchut is carved in the darkness of Ima, and these darknesses mingled with the Sefirot of Malchut.

Water, Hassadim, rise from the right line of ZA, descend, and roll through those dark lights of the left line. They mingle—the lights of Hochma and darknesses that are attached to the lights of Hochma are from the left, and water, Hassadim, from the right. Invisible lights are made of them, dark ones, meaning the Mochin of Malchut, who is called “a mirror that does not illuminate.”

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149) After he explained the giving of the left, he explains the Mochin of the right, which ZA gives to Malchut. Each Behina [singular of Behinot] in ZA beats and gives to its corresponding Behina in Malchut. The Behinot of ZA divide into 75 hoses of deeps, through which the water is extended. The seven Sefirot HGT NHYM de ZA, in each of which are ten, hence they are seventy, and half of Partzuf Malchut de Malchut that is missing in Malchut, which is the five Sefirot from her Chazeh down, were also added to the seven Sefirot de ZA, in which there are two Behinot of deep. Therefore, there are 75 Behinot in him, which are hoses of deeps that give water, light of Hassadim to Malchut.

150) Each and every hose in ZA rises in its voice, and the deeps—the Malchuts of Malchut, who receive from the hoses of ZA—are shaken. When the voice is heard, each deep calls on the other and says, “Divide your water that I may enter you, as it is written, ‘Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your hoses.’”

There are two Malchuts in ZA—of Miftacha and of Man’ula. For this reason, he is regarded as two voices, two kinds of giving of ZA, who is called “a voice.” The voice of Miftacha has a corresponding Behina in Malchut. The voice of Man’ula has no corresponding Behina in Malchut because there is no Man’ula in Malchut. This is why she is lacking the half Partzuf of Malchut de Malchut.

Each hose in ZA rises in its voice, and therefore the deeps of Malchut are shaken, for they have no receptacle for the bestowal of the voices of Man’ula, Midat ha Din [quality of judgment], and they are shaken by them. When the voice of Midat ha Din is heard from Man’ula, the Malchuts of ZA call upon the Malchuts of the Nukva, “Divide your waters,” meaning “Do not receive in your entire Partzuf, but only up to the Chazeh, and do not receive from the Chazeh and below, and then I will enter you, meaning bestow upon you. However, if you wish to receive for the entire Partzuf, from the Chazeh and below, as well, I will not enter you because you lack the correction of Malchut de Man’ula there, for she has only 45 kinds of color of light.”

151) Explains the correction of Yesod de Malchut, which was done by the effect of ZA. There are 365 white, black, and red tendons under the influence of the hoses, included in one another, and they have become one color. These tendons are reticulated in seventeen nets, and each net is called “tendons.” They are reticulated in one another and descend to the end of the deep, in the Yesod in Malchut, called “deep.” Under those, two nets stand in a vision of iron and two other nets in a vision of bronze.

The 365 tendons are illumination of Hochma in the left of Bina, which extends to Malchut. They are called tendons because they are from Bina, since KHB is called Mocha, Atzamot, Gidin. Also, they are 365 because every left line is from Bina and TM, which that fell from the degree at the point of Holam and returned to her at the point of Shuruk, these Bina and TM became the left line of the degree. And with respect to the Partzuf, the Kelim from the Chazeh down are considered Bina and TM, since Tifferet is Bina and NH are TM.

It turns out that the left line of Bina is half of Tifferet and her NHY from the Chazeh down, which make up three and a half Sefirot. The Sefirot de Bina are hundreds, hence they are 350, and the illumination Yod-Hey from Bina rides atop them, hence they are 365. Also, they are 365 tendons, in which there are three colors white, red, and black, which are HG and Malchut. The color green is not mentioned because it is the one that dispenses the colors.

These tendons were reticulated in 17 nets, for before the left was mitigated with Hassadim from ZA, when Malchut was in the left without the right and became darkness and frost, the

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illumination of the left was regarded as a net for her. And now, by ZA illuminating Hassadim, they were mitigated into nets and became 17 nets, which is illumination of Yesod de Malchut in the form of Joseph, as it is written, “Joseph was seventeen years old.” Also, four nets were reticulated in the form of Benjamin—two in the interior, which appear as bronze, and two in the exterior, which appear as iron.

152) Two chairs stand on them, on all the Behinot, from the right and from the left. All those nets join together, and the waters, the lights, come down from the hoses and enter those nets. When those two chairs rise—the chair of the black firmament and the chair of the firmament that is like a porpoise—they rise in the chair of the black firmament. When they come down, they come down in the chair of the firmament that is like a porpoise.

The issue of the unification of the four directions above and below. The four directions above and below, HG TM, are NH. The illumination of Netzah illuminates all four directions HG TM from below upward, and the illumination of Hod illuminates all four directions from above downward. This applies to every degree. It is two chairs: the chair of the right is illumination of the Netzah that illuminates from below upward, and the chair of the left is illumination of Hod, illuminating from above downward.

When ascending, the ascent is in the chair of the black firmament. And when descending, the descent is in the chair of the firmament that is like a porpoise. The black firmament, Masach de Man’ula, is the essence of Malchut, who is the color black. The firmament that is like a porpoise is the Masach of Miftacha, which is mitigated in Bina. The chair of illumination of Netzah, illuminating from below upward, stands over the black firmament, of Man’ula. The chair of illumination of Hod stands on the firmament that is like a porpoise, of Miftacha.

153) Those two chairs are one from the right and one from the left. The chair of the black firmament, Netzah, is from the right. The chair of the firmament that is like a porpoise, Hod, is from the left. When the lights rise in the chair of the black firmament, the chair of the left firmament descends, and the lights descend in it from above downward.

154) The chairs are included in one another, gripping within them all those nets and ushering them at the end of the bottom deep, since the left chair obtains a great illumination from the Hitkalelut [mingling] of the chairs and its illumination descends and complements through the end of the degree, the bottom deep.

155) One chair stands and rises above all those deeps, and one chair stands below all the deeps, and all those deeps roll between those two chairs. Also, all the hoses are pinned between those two chairs. The illumination of the chair of Netzah, from below upward, reaches GAR and illuminates from there. It follows that the chair of Netzah stands above all the deeps, the Malchuts in the Guf of the Partzuf, and the illumination of the chair of Hod, from above downward, descends through the end of the degree and illuminates there. Thus, the chair of Hod stands below all the deeps, and all those Behinot—the deeps and the hoses—are completed between them.

156) There are 75 hoses. Seven are superior to all the others, and all the others are included in them. The primary ones in them are the seven Sefirot HGT NHYM, and all the rest are from Hitkalelut, for each was included in ten, hence they are 70. The five are from the additional half Partzuf that is missing in Malchut de Malchut, and all are pinned to the wheels of the chair on that side. They are pinned to the wheels of the chair on that side, receiving the illumination of the two chairs.

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157) The waters rise and fall in the chairs, illuminating from below upward and from above downward. Those who descended mine the deeps and break them. Those who rise enter through those holes in the stones, in the Masach de Peh de Rosh ZA, rising and filling for seven days, which are the seven Malchuts from Chazeh and above. Thus far are the seven colors of light in the upper one, HGT NHY from Chazeh and above.

Bronze Mountains158) Bronze of the wave offering are mountains of bronze, two mountains, ZON of Noga, and they are called “bronze plinths.” There are gate-guards who surround all who are inside because they are the gate-guards who stand at the gates from outside. It is so because the Noga surrounds the Kedusha and keeps it from the Klipot. They come and go in the King’s house, in Malchut, since the good side in Noga is complete Kedusha, though outside Kedusha, and sometimes it goes inside.

159) All of the instruments of the altar, to use them, are of bronze, ZON de Noga. These are instruments for the altar when the souls draw near, to rise over the altar, Malchut. They are the one who do the work of the altar, and all help the souls serve service, and they are called “instruments of the altar.” Also, all the Kelim and the stakes of the tabernacle, which are outside the tabernacle, as well, are called by names of instruments of service, to serve in the holiness. By that, all the appointees and the Merkavot [pl. of Merkava], and certain directions stand each in its place. In certain palaces of Kedusha, they are all under calculation, as it is written, “Who leads forth their host by number.”

160) The gold in the tabernacle is connected to the upper gold, Gevura. Likewise is the silver to the upper silver, Hesed, and the bronze in the tabernacle to the upper bronze, Tifferet. It is so because the bronze below, ZON de Noga, takes power from the bronze above, Tifferet. Also, all the colors mingle in one another to unite and connect with one another.

161) Gold hooks are poised to tie those curtains of azure and purple, scarlet, and linen to one another, connector to connector. The bronze hooks are to connect the tabernacle, the goat-hair curtains, and they stand opposite each other.

They all stand as the stars in the firmament. As the stars illuminate in the firmament and are seen, so these hooks in the tabernacle illuminate. Those hooks illuminate and seem as stars, standing, protruding, and sparkling. And these 50 of gold and 50 of bronze illuminate one opposite the other.

162) One spark comes out of the upper light, ZA, sparkling and illuminating in a mirror that does not illuminate. That is, it illuminates to Malchut. The spark consists of all the illuminating colors, and it is called “purple.” When that purple strikes—bestows—in the dark light, Malchut, another spark comes out, which is not flaming, azure, and they mingle with one another. These are the holy garments in which Michael, the high priest, is robed.

163) When Michael wore those garments of glory, he entered to serve in the holy place. But as long as he was not wearing those garments, he did not enter the holy place, as it is written, “And Moses entered the midst of the cloud and went up to the mountain.” He clothed himself in the cloud, and then went up to the mountain. But as long as he did not clothe in it, he could not enter. Likewise, the high priest does not enter the holy place before he is clothed in those garments to enter the holy place.

164) And because they emerge from the upper ones, and they are as above, they are called “official dress” [literal translation: garments of residue], from the word “residue” because

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they remain from those upper garments, as they were from what was left of the lights of the upper splendors. Azure is Malchut, and purple is ZA. These are colors of the holy name, whose complete name is HaVaYaH Elokim [the Lord God], where HaVaYaH is purple, and Elokim is azure. This is the meaning of the high priest wearing it in order to come to the holy place.

Scarlet is the red color, opposite Gevura. Azure and purple correspond to Malchut and ZA, who are included in all those colors. And because the high priest dresses in the garments of these colors, he goes inside and is not repelled outward.

165) It is all done in faith, in the degree of Malchut, who is called “faith,” so all will be as above. This is why it is written, “The official dress for ministering in the holy place.” They are called “holy garments” because they are called “holy” only when those colors are in them, as it is written, “They are holy garments.” It is also written, “The holiness of Israel is for the Lord, His first fruit.” “The holiness of Israel,” since all the colors are seen in Israel, who are priests, Levites, and Israel, the colors of HGT—white, red, and green. The priests are white, the Levites are red, and Israel are green, colors to be shown inside, in the holy place.

Holy Garments166) The soul does not rise to appear before the holy King until she is rewarded with clothing in a garment of above, to appear there. Similarly, she does not come down until she dresses in a garment of this world.

167) Similarly, the holy angels of above, of whom it is written, “He makes the winds His angels, flaming fire His ministers.” When they perform a mission in this world, they do not come down before they clothe in a garment of this world. It is all according to the place to which they go. And the soul does not rise, unless in an illuminating garment.

168) When Adam ha Rishon was in the Garden of Eden, he was clothed in a garment such as above, a garment of upper light. When he was expelled from the Garden of Eden and needed the colors of this world, it is written, “And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins, and clothed them.” First, they were garments of light, the upper light, which he used in the Garden of Eden.

169) Because the illuminating upper light was operating in the Garden of Eden, when Adam HaRishon entered the Garden of Eden, the Creator clothed him in a garment of that light and admitted him there. Had he not worn that light first, he would not have entered there. Once he was expelled from there, he needed a different garment. And then, “And the Lord God made for the man and for his wife garments of skin.” It is likewise here: they made official dress to serve in the holy place, to bring him to the holy place.

170) The good deeds that one does in this world draw light of the upper splendor to set up for him a garment for that world, to be seen before the Creator. In that garment that he wears, he enjoys and sees the illuminating mirror, as it is written, “To behold the pleasantness of the Lord and to visit in His palace.”

171) Therefore, the soul dresses in special garments in two worlds, so she will have wholeness in all—in this world, below, and in the world above. This is why it is written, “Only the righteous will give thanks to Your name, the upright will dwell in Your presence.” “Only the righteous will give thanks to Your name” is in this world; “The upright will dwell in Your presence” is in that world.

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A Breast Piece and an Ephod172) The ephod [a special vest of the high priest] and the breast piece were as one, since ephod is Malchut and the breast piece is ZA. In a place of existence, where there are complete Mochin, all those 12 stones stand, carrying the names of the sons of Israel, and they are all 12 high boundaries, 12 combinations of HaVaYaH, HG TM, in each of which are three lines, hence they are 12. They are all tribes of the sons of Israel because the 12 tribes of Israel are 12 combinations of HaVaYaH that are given to Malchut.

173) It is written, “To which the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, a testimony to Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord.” “To which the tribes go up” are the 12 upper tribes, the 12 boundaries in ZA, the roots of the 12 tribes. These are the tribes of the Lord [Koh, Yod-Hey] because the name Koh is a testimony to Israel, as a testimony is GAR.

174) It writes “tribes” twice: “Tribes,” “Tribes of the Lord.” “To which the tribes go up” are the tribes below, in Malchut. “The tribes of the Lord” are the tribes above in ZA. “A testimony to Israel” is the upper, holy name Koh, which is called “a testimony,” as it is written, “I will teach them this testimony of Mine.”

This is why there are the names of the 12 tribes in the breast piece, opposite ZA, and there are the names of the 12 tribes in the ephod, opposite Malchut. The 12 upper, holy tribes in ZA are the 12 holy stones in the breast piece. This is why they stand below, in the breast piece, as above. Also, all those names of the 12 tribes are engraved in those stones, and the high priest carries them.

175) When Jacob was going to Haran, it is written, “And he took of the stones of the place and put them under his head.” These are the 12 holy stones, which are considered the 12 tribes in Malchut, HG TM, in each of which are three lines, and they all became one stone, as it is written, “This stone, which I have set up as a pillar.” He calls it a stone because all 12 stones were included in one high and holy stone that is above them, Malchut, who is called “a stone,” as it is written, “This stone, which I have set up as a pillar, will be the house of God.” For this reason, her 12 tribes are also called “stones.”

176) Therefore, here the high priest places it on his heart to always remember them, as it is written, “And Aaron shall carry the names of the sons of Israel ... over his heart ... before the Lord continually.” And for this reason, everything is in 12: 12 high stones that are hidden above, concealed in the upper holy one, ZA. They are the meaning of the Torah, ZA, and they come out of a single, fine voice, Bina.

12 other stones are hidden below in Malchut, similar to those above in ZA. They come out from a different voice, which is a stone, as it is written, “From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel,” Malchut.

177) This is why it is written, “And all the herds were gathered there and rolled off the stone.” This is Divinity, who is called “a testing stone,” “the stone of Israel,” which is rolled off and placed in exile. It is written, “And [they] put the stone back in its place on the well’s mouth,” at the time of redemption. After it, all of them, all the degrees that come out of it, are called “stones.”

178) There are several Behinot [discernments] of stones in the stones. There are stones that are the foundations of the house—Malchut in the Behina [singular of Behinot] of Hochma, who is called “a house,” as it is written, “In wisdom shall a house be built.” It is also written, “And the king commanded, and they quarried great stones, precious stones, to lay the

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foundation of the house with hewn stone.” HB in her are called “great stones, precious stones.” There are also high precious stones, which are 12, four orders—three, three to each order to the four directions of the world, HG TM, in each of which are three, hence they are 12.

Likewise, four banners were walking in the desert, which are the 12 tribes—three, three to each side of the four directions of the world. To the east: Yehuda, Issachar, and Zebulun; to the south: Reuben, Shimon, and Gad; to the north: Ephraim, Menashe, and Benjamin; and to the west: Dan, Asher, and Naphtali. The four directions of the world are HG TM, and the three tribes in each direction are three lines, and it is all one.

179) When the high priest would place those 12 stones and wear them in the breast piece and the ephod, Divinity was upon him. Those 12 stones are decorated with the names of all the tribes, and each tribe was engraved on a single stone. The letters were embedded in stones, and when the stones illuminated, the letters would protrude outwards, illuminating what they needed to.

180) The two letters Het and Tet, the letters in Het [sin], were absent in all the names of the tribes, as there was no sin in all of them. The Het [sin, but also the letter Het] that the name caused, since the name Het means descent or decline, so it is good that it is not among the names of the tribes. But Tet is a good letter. One who sees the letter Tet in his dream, it is good for him because he began the Torah with it, “And it was good” [Tov (good) begins with a Tet], as it is written, “And God saw the light, that it was Tov [good].” Thus, it is a good letter, so why was it not written in the tribes?

181) It is because those two letters [Het and Tet] are adjacent, and the proximity indicates sin. This is why they were absent in the tribes. Also, the letter Tet is hidden and concealed. It indicates Yesod de Bina and illuminates the illumination of all of them, and there is no light other than that letter because all the lights come out of Yesod de Bina, as it is written, “And God saw the light, that it was good,” which is illumination of that light in the letter Tet, being concealed and hidden. It is written about that letter, “Will not deny Tov [good] of those who walk wholeheartedly.” It is the light of all the tribes. And because it is so concealed, it is not among the tribes. Moreover, all 12 tribes come from that corridor, Yesod de Bina, which is hidden, and which is the letter Tet. For this reason, it is hidden and concealed and is not seen in the tribes.

182) All the stones in the breast piece stood in a manner of letters and banners. When they would illuminate, they would illuminate the face of the high priest, the letters were illuminating and protruding, and they were recognizable from the stones outwards. When they would illuminate the face of the high priest, it was apparent that the protrusion of the letters was favorable. By that, it became apparent if the priest was righteous or not. For this reason, everything was in a manner of letters and banners.

183) It is written, “You shall put in the breast piece of the judgment the Urim and the Tummim.” Urim [lights] illuminate what is being asked. Tummim [pl. of Tam (whole)] complement their words.

184) The breast piece and the ephod correspond to the Urim and the Tummim. They are Tefillin and the knot of the Tefillin, which are opposite one another. It is written, “You shall see My back, but My face shall not be seen.” “You shall see My back” means that the Creator showed Moses the knot of the Tefillin. “But My face” means the actual Tefillin, the high

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secret, the holy name. “My back” is the knot of Tefillin. Tefillin are the illuminating mirror, ZA. The knot of Tefillin is a mirror that does not illuminate, Malchut.

185) Accordingly, the Urim illuminate while they speak. ZA is the illuminating mirror. The Tummim complement with their words, meaning Malchut that illuminates in illumination of Hochma, as it is written, “You shall see My back,” in which there is all the wholeness. The face is the Urim; the back is the Tummim. Also, these are voice and speech: the voice is ZA, illuminating to the speech, Malchut, to speak, since the voice complements the speech. That is, the voice is the actual essence, and the speaking complements it. They always go hand in hand and never part from one another because it is impossible to separate voice from speech. Therefore, the breast piece and the ephod are face and back, and it is all one.

186) The breast piece and the ephod never part. It is written of one who parts them, “Who separates the Champion,” since they imply ZA and Malchut. It is also written, “And it came to pass when Eviatar the son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, he came down with an ephod in his hand.” But he did not say “breast piece.” It follows that he separated them from one another.

187) All that is important is hidden, concealed and is not mentioned. It is written, “Carrying a linen ephod.” The breast piece is not mentioned due to its importance. What is more revealed is mentioned so that what is hidden and covered shall be covered. This is why that which is more disclosed is mentioned, which is the ephod.

188) For this reason, the upper name is a secret that is covered and concealed, and is mentioned only in the name that is revealed. One is mentioned and one is concealed. The concealed name is HaVaYaH; the revealed name is ADNI. This is why it is written in hidden letters, HaVaYaH, and is called by the letters ADNI. One is covered by the other: the name ADNI covers the name HaVaYaH so that the glory of the upper one will be forever covered and concealed.

All the ways of the Torah are revealed and concealed. Likewise, all the matters of the world, this world or the upper world, are concealed and revealed. That is, there is interior in everything.

189) It is written, “Do tell us, because of whom has this calamity struck us?” “On whose account” is asking about the Hochma. Here they were asking a secret that is revealed, to know if he comes from Joseph’s descendants, where the sea—when it saw Joseph’s coffin—parted at once and became land, as it is written, “The sea saw and fled.” The sea saw it, that it was written in it, and fled out, meaning parted at once, “The Jordan turned back.”

190) This is why they asked Jonah, “Do tell us, because of whom has this calamity struck.” It was because it is written about him in Joseph, “Because you are his wife.” They implied to him with the word, “Because,” if you come from the descendants of Joseph, pray that the sea would ease up on us. And it is written, “Because of whom has this calamity struck us?” In the word “Whom,” they implied to him, “If you come from the descendants of Jacob,” as it is written, “To whom do you belong, and where are you going,” and they are the ones to whom Jacob said it. They were the holy angels that he sent to Esau on his mission, and he was saved from that plight, so you, too, pray to your Master and He will send His angels and we will be saved from that plight.

191) And if not, tell us what is your work, what is your occupation each day, where you come from, what do you love, what is your country, and should that country be punished? And from what people are you? Is it Amalek, or one of the seven nations that should be punished?

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192) What did Jonah reply to them? “He said to them, ‘I am a Hebrew,’” meaning I am from the descendants of the Hebrew Abraham, who sanctified the name of his Master in the world each day. “And I fear the Lord, God of heaven.” They asked him, to know a matter that is revealed and that is concealed. They implied to him with the word “because,” and in the word “of whom,” which is covered, and they asked him the rest openly. And Jonah replied everything to them openly.

193) “And the men feared a great fear.” When they heard the name of the Creator, they were immediately afraid because they all knew the miracles and mighty deeds that the Creator did at sea. He also told them that he was fleeing the Creator. This is why they said to him, “What have you done,” running from Him and not doing His commandments?

194) All of them later converted, when they saw the miracles and the great deeds that the Creator had done for Jonah at sea. They all saw him fall into the sea, that fish which swallowed him, and that that great fish came in front of everyone and vomited him onto land. They came to him and converted, as it is written, “Those who regard vain idols forsake their mercy.”

195) They were all proselytes by conviction [converted out of free will], grew wise in the Torah, and became great sages because the Creator desired them and all who approach Him and openly sanctify His name. When sanctifying His name openly, His hidden name—HaVaYaH—rises to its throne, ADNI, and a unification of HaVaYaH ADNI [The Lord, God] is made, as it is written, “I will be sanctified among the children of Israel.”

196) “They shall bind the breast piece by its rings to the rings of the ephod with an azure cord.” Why an azure cord? It is to show that azure, Malchut with respect to the Din in her—connected with Hesed—is tied to everything. For this reason, everything is in the upper one. Azure ties the breast piece, ZA, with the ephod, Malchut.

197) “They also made bells of pure gold, and put the bells inside the pomegranates.” It is written, “And its sound shall be heard when he came into the holy place before the Lord,” since a sound that is heard is needed, ZA, and there will be blessings on the world thanks to the priest who blesses everything and does everything. The gold bell is an audible sound, ZA. The pomegranate is Malchut, which is filled by all, receiving from all the upper ones.

198) “And he made the robe of the ephod of woven work, all azure.” The robe of the ephod is Malchut. “All azure,” meaning azure is the light of the chair, from Malchut, who is the black light in a candle that burns and consumes all that is under it. She is azure when she connects to the white light in the candle, Hesed. Hence, the azure is for the ephod, as it is the light of Malchut.

199) These are the Kelim of the garments of the priest in the upper one, so that the garments below will be as above. And because Michael is the high priest, and comes from the right, why is it written about Gabriel, “The man clothed in linen”? After all, the garments were for the high priest, and Michael is a priest and comes from the right. However, the left is always included in the right, hence Gabriel, who is left, wore garments from the right.

200) Gabriel was appointed as an emissary for this world. Each emissary that is appointed for this world must wear clothes of this world. Likewise, when the soul rises, she dresses in a garment of above in order to be there. Also, when she descends from above downward, she dresses in a garment. Each garment suits the place to which she goes. Likewise, all the emissaries appointed a mission in this world should wear [garments] from this world.

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201) The robe of the ephod was in order to cover him around his body. When he wore it, it is written, “You have formed me behind and before, and laid Your palm upon me.” That is, the breast piece is from before, and the ephod is from behind.

202) “Behind and before.” When the Creator created Adam HaRishon, male and female were created, tied to one another, the female to the back, and the male from before. Finally, the Creator cut and separated them, and set her up before the man, to look face-to-face. And when they looked face-to-face, the love in the world increased and they begot offspring in the world, which was not so before.

203) And after the man and his wife sinned and the serpent came and cast filth in her, she gave birth to Cain, whose form was the form of above and of below—of the filth of the Sitra Achra from below, from the external ones. This is why he was the first who made death in the world, since his side inflicted, as he came from the serpent’s filth. The conduct of the serpent is to lie in wait in order to kill. He who comes from the serpent, Cain, his way is to take and go. This is why it is written, “And it came to pass that when they were in the field, Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.”

204) When Cain killed Abel, he bit him like a snake until he took his breath away and killed him.

205) All things return to the first foundation from which they came out. If Cain were not from the side of the serpent, he would not be so toward his brother. Therefore, when Adam saw that Abel was killed and Cain was expelled, he said, “Why am I begetting henceforth?” He parted from his wife for 130 years, and impure female spirits would come and be warmed by him, and he begot spirits and demons. These are called “the afflictions of people.”

206) Afterwards he grew jealous, wore envy, united with his wife, and begot Seth. This one was in his image, after his own likeness, which was not so before, with the first sons that were before.

207) In the beginning, before Eve, he had another bonding, Lilit, until Eve came when the Creator set her up for Adam, and they united face-to-face. This is why it is written, “This one shall be called Woman.” But the other one, Lilit, was not called so.

208) Because Adam and Eve were created as one, it is written, “He created them male and female, and He blessed them,” for they were together. This is why it is written, “You have formed me behind and before.”

209) Ephod and the breast piece are behind and before. The breast piece is before, and the ephod is behind. When the priest would clothe in them, he was similar to the upper form, ZA and Malchut, who are behind and before. At that time his face would illuminate, and the letters would protrude and shine, and would rise up. And then he knew the matter that was needed.

210) For this reason, the correction of the breast piece and the correction of the ephod tie together, although the correction of one is not as the correction of the other, and it is all one. The connection of one to the other is for the breast piece, ZA, to unite with the ephod, Malchut, in four rings that connect in this place and in that place, in the breast piece and in the ephod. The rings are the Merkavot that connect to that side, below those that are above, and it is all Ophanim [lit. wheels, but also “angels”] and animals. The two rings in the breast piece are the animals, Yetzira. The two rings in the ephod are the Ophanim, Assiya, and are tied to one another.

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211) It is written, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth,” the heaven being ZA and the earth being Malchut, since the tabernacle was made according to everything, making the similitude of the lower world, Malchut, and the similitude of the upper world, ZA. All of the works that the Creator worked in this world are as above. So is the tabernacle: all of His works are as the work and as the similitude of the upper world.

212) This is the meaning of all the work of the tabernacle. All of them are deeds and corrections of above and of below, to instill Divinity in the world, in the upper dwellers, the angels, and in the lower dwellers, people. The lower Garden of Eden, Malchut, is as the upper one, Bina. All the images and all the forms of the world are there, hence the work of the tabernacle and the work of heaven and earth, ZA and Malchut, are all one.

Lift Up Your Eyes Above213) “Lift up your eyes above and see who created these.” Can one—because he raises his eyes and looks up—know and observe what he has not been given permission to know and to see?

214) Rather, “Lift up your eyes above” means that those who wish to observe and to know the works of the Creator should raise their eyes above and see several hosts, camps, and strange great deeds. Then you will see and ask, and say, “Who created these? Who [MI], Bina, created these, since Bina is a place that is above, hidden, concealed, and unknown. It is always under question because that place has not been revealed.

215) “The one who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name.” “The one who leads forth,” since the hidden and concealed place, Bina, brought everything out in regard to the voice that comes out of the Shofar [horn], which is ZA, who is called “a voice.” It comes out of Bina, who is called “a Shofar.” The voice, ZA in illumination of Hochma, is the number of all the hosts above, and the calculation of everything. A number and a calculation is Mochin of illumination of Hochma. However, they do not appear in the place of ZA, but from there is the upper faith, Malchut, on all the upper sides—Hassadim from the right and Hochma from the left—in which is the place of disclosure of Hochma until the degrees extend from ZA, extending down to Malchut. Also, several armies part to their kinds, and all are calculated and are called by name.

“Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, not one of them is missing.” Because of the greatness of His might” is the right. “And the strength of His power” is the left. “Not one of them is missing,” from the sides that extend from the two lines. Nothing is missing because these two sides include the whole of reality, and nothing new is added to them even in the middle line because it only includes all that there is in the two lines, right and left.

216) “Lift up your eyes above and see who created these.” When the tabernacle was established and was set up, anyone who saw the tabernacle looked in it in what was above and what was below, and saw everything in the tabernacle. Because all the works of the upper world and the lower world were established in the tabernacle, anyone who saw the hooks in the tabernacle and looked at them would see in their illumination, the illumination of the stars, for this is how the stars are in the firmament.

Praise the Lord from the Heavens217) “Halleluiah. Praise the Lord from the heavens.” David said this praise opposite HaVaYaH, ZA, the whole of the praise of everything. Two praises are as the high and holy

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name, HaVaYaH, the whole of the praises of everything. They are, “Praise the Lord from the heavens,” and the last praise in the book, Psalms, which is the whole of the praises of all of them, as it is written, “Halleluiah. Praise God in His sanctuary.” However, this is on ten kinds, as “Praise” is written in it ten times, corresponding to the ten Sefirot of ZA. “Praise the Lord from the heavens” is on seven, as “Praise” is written in it seven times, corresponding to the seven Sefirot HGT NHYM de ZA. It is all one in the holy name.

218) “Halleluiah. Praise the Lord from the heavens” is the beginning of VAK, HGT NHY, to expand below, which is ZA, who is under question, for attainment, as it is written, “Indeed, ask now about the former days, which were before you,” the seven days HGT NHYM de ZA. Thus far there is permission to ask. It is also written, “Since the day that God created man on the earth, and from the end of the heavens to the end of the heavens,” which is Hesed de ZA. Henceforth, KHB de ZA is not under question because it is a hidden and concealed place.

219) This is why it is written, “Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the heights.” These are two sides, right and left, HG de ZA. From here the rest of the Sefirot expand downward in the degree, to be properly corrected. “Praise Him, all His angels” are the two pillars, NH, which stand under the Guf, Tifferet, for it to lean on them.

220) These pillars are standing in relation to the angels, of whom it is written, “Praise Him, all His angels,” as they are messengers of the Guf, going by the emissary of their Master from place to place.

221) “Praise Him, all His hosts” is the place from which all the upper holy hosts come out, the token of the holy covenant, Yesod de ZA. It is inscribed in all the tens of thousands that come forth from Him, as it is written, “The Lord of Hosts is His name,” since it is a token in all the other hosts and tens of thousands.

222) “Praise Him, sun and moon.” All the Sefirot of ZA are in the sun because the sun is Tifferet de ZA, the essence of ZA, and the rest of the Sefirot are only in the form of inclusion in Tifferet. The sun is to shine. There are the illuminating upper stars and signs in it. Afterwards, it returns upward to Bina, where all are pinned, as all the Mochin of ZA, Malchut, and BYA come out from there. It says about her, “Praise Him, heavens of heavens,” since the heavens is ZA, and the heavens of heavens is Bina. “Praise the Lord from the earth,” Malchut de ZA, who corresponds to those, for afterwards it is written, “fire and hail, snow and steam, stormy wind, fulfilling His word.”

223) These are stars below, standing in an extension that they were extended from the upper one in ZA, for everything stands in the upper form. For this reason, all those stars and signs from the height of the firmament, ZA, are to lead the world below it. From there, the degrees spread until the degrees stand in the stars below in this world. Also, all of them are not on their own authority, but in the authority of the upper one. It is written about it, “Let now the astrologers ... stand up, and save you.” It is all by permission from above.

The Mountain of the Lord's House Shall Be Established at the Top of the Mountains224) “And it shall come to pass in the end of days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established at the top of the mountains, and shall be higher than the hills.” “And it shall come to pass in the end of days,” when the Creator visits the daughter of Jacob and raises her from the dust, and the sun unites with the moon, meaning ZA with Malchut. At that time, “The mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established.” That is, Jerusalem of above,

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Malchut, will be corrected in her corrections to illuminate in the upper light, for all her lights are corrected only in the upper light of ZA. At that time, the upper light will shine upon her seven times what it did before, as it is written, “And the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold.” The light of the sun is ZA, and the light of the moon is Malchut.

225) “At the top of the mountains” and not “At the tops of the mountains.” Rather, the light that she will have at that time is at the top of the mountains, the high priest, Hesed de ZA, since HGT are called “mountains,” and Hesed is their top. He is all right [side], Hesed, and he corrects the house, Malchut, and blesses her to illuminate her face. It is written about it, “Shall be established.”

226) He will correct her with garments such as above, as ZA, and the garments will stand in six, HGT NHY, which are included in Hesed, the high priest, as it is written, “And they made the tunics of linen ... and the miter of linen, and the decorated caps of linen.” When this house is corrected at the top of the mountains, who is the high priest, Hesed de ZA, the house will connect and rise to the upper existence, Bina, and the world will illuminate from the upper light in Bina. This is the meaning of “And shall be higher than the hills,” than all the other upper hosts and camps. Then, it is written, “And all the nations shall flow unto it.”

227) When the priest below, in this world, spreads his hands, a high spirit, Bina, illuminates and comes out. And all the candles, all the Sefirot of ZA, illuminate. Then lights extend, illuminate, and connect to one another until the face of the Assembly of Israel, Malchut, illuminates, and all is by the first light, the priest, Hesed. And when the priest awakens below, there is awakening above. And with the works below, an awakening awakens above.

228) For this reason, “The mountain of the Lord's house shall be established at the top of the mountains, and shall be higher than the hills; and all the nations shall flow unto it,” for now all the idol worshipping nations have an appointee over them in the firmament. At that time, the Creator will uproot them and cast them from their governance, as it is written, “The Lord will command the hosts of above, above.” And when they are all removed from their governance, the Creator alone will be high, as it is written, “And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.” Then, “All the nations shall flow unto it,” as it is written, “And many peoples shall go and say, ‘Come let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob.’”

229) It is all when the priest, the top of the mountains, Hesed, illuminates to Malchut. And it is all in six, when he illuminates for her with all the VAK.

At Times He Praises Himself, At Times He Lowers231) “I am young and despised; I have not forgotten Your precepts.” At times, King David would praise himself, as it is written, “Who does kindness to His Messiah, to David, and to his descendants forever and ever.” It is also written, “The saying of David the son of Jesse, and the saying of the man raised on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob.” Sometimes he pretended to be poor, as it is written, “For I am poor and meager.” It is also written, “I am young and despised.” And he said, “The stone which the builders loathed became the cornerstone.”

232) When he would rise in the degree of peace and ascend in true judgment, ruling over his enemies, he would praise himself. And when he saw himself in plight and his enemies

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oppressed him, he lowered himself and would call himself “poor,” “Younger than all,” since sometimes he would rule, and sometimes he was in plight by his enemies.

233) This is why he always governed them and they could not prevail over him. Also, King David always lowered himself before the Creator, for anyone who lowers himself before the Creator, the Creator raises him above all. This is why the Creator desired David in this world and in the next world. In this world, as it is written, “And I will protect this city for My own sake, and for My servant David's sake.” In the next world it is as it is written, “And [they will] seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and shall come trembling unto the Lord and to His goodness in the end of days.” David is a king in this world, and David will be a king for the next world. This is why it was said, “The stone which the builders loathed became the cornerstone.”

234) When the sun, ZA, turns back his face and does not shine for the moon, Malchut, the light is removed from the moon and she does not illuminate. At that time she is poor and darkened from all sides; she has no light at all. When the sun returns before her and illuminates for her, her face illuminates and she adorns herself for the sun like a female adorns herself for the male. Then she is governing in the world.

235) David was adorning himself like the moon because David is Malchut. At times he is poor, at times he is richer than all. This is why he would say, “I am young and despised.” And this is why, “I have not forgotten Your precepts.” Similarly, one should be despised in one’s own eyes and lower himself in everything, to be a Kli that the Creator wants.

The Measuring Cord and the Measuring Reed236) “And He brought me there, and, behold, there was a man whose appearance was as the appearance of bronze, with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood at the gate.” Ezekiel saw it in a prophecy, and the man is the messenger in garments, Gabriel.

237) Here he says, “A man,” and does not say, “The man wearing linen.” But when he does a mission to execute Din or to show Din in a vision, it is called the garment of linen. As the emissary changes, his appearance changes and the clothes change. However, he is always on the left side, for Gabriel and all those who come from his side are on the left of the Merkava.

238) Here he wore the garment of mountains of bronze, the shining from the side of Kedusha, and Gabriel brought a measure in order to take a measurement.

239) The measure is not the harsh, hidden, and concealed spark. Rather, the measuring reed comes out from the harsh spark downward, healing from the light that was left of the holy spark when it departed upward and was carved there inside the sapphirety, the sparkling one that is not known, RADLA. For this reason, that measuring reed is in the measuring of the measure that is below in this world.

The measure is the Masach. All the measures of the level in AK and ABYA come out by its striking, in the expansion of the upper light. That Masach is established in the Kli of Malchut. However, there are two Behinot [discernments] in Malchut: Man’ula [lock] and Miftacha [key]. Hence, there are also two kinds of Masachim: Masach de Miftacha and Masach de Man’ula. Masach de Miftacha is called “measuring cord,” and Masach de Man’ula is called “measuring reed” or the “harsh spark.”

The Masach de Man’ula was hidden in RADLA, and operated only in the Partzufim of AK, and not in ABYA. How could this Masach have been in the hand of Gabriel, that he would use it in this world to build the house? After all, it was hidden in RADLA; it is not even in the

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world of Atzilut! Yet the measuring reed is not the hard spark, it is not the Masach de Man’ula itself, which was hidden in RADLA. Rather, the measuring reed comes out of the harsh spark, which healed from the light that was left of the holy spark when it departed upward.

It is so because when the Masach de Man’ula departed upward to RADLA and was concealed, it departed and left its illumination in its place. This illumination that it left is called the “measuring reed.” And since the place of this Malchut, which operated in the Partzufim of AK, was at the point of this world, it follows that this illumination that Malchut de Man’ula left is below in this world. This is why that measuring reed is in the measuring of the measure that is found below in this world, and can be used to measure the Temple in this world.

240) Sometimes the measuring reed is used, and sometimes the measuring cord, hence the line of flax, which is the measuring cord. And the measuring reed is a measure for measuring. All of Ezekiel’s measurements were with the measuring reed and not with the line of flax, the measuring cord. In the work of the tabernacle, it was all with the measuring cord, the Masach de Miftacha.

241) In the tabernacle, the measuring below, which is the measuring cord, it is the line of flax. When it began to expand, there was one knot in each cubit, and the length of a cubit was up to the knot. He would measure with that measure of cubit. Therefore, even when measuring several cubits, it is called a “cubit” and not “cubits.” This is why it is written, “The length of one curtain was twenty eight cubit, and the width, four cubit.” It does not write “Four cubits” because he would measure a cubit to each side. That is, there is no new cubit here, but he would multiply that same cubit to each side when it was needed.

242) That measuring cord comes out from the light of above, Bina, as the measuring below, in Malchut, is there because of the measuring above, in Bina. The measuring below is 1,500 Behinot, and each Behina is 12,000 cubits. Hence, one cubit goes in all of them, meaning that each cubit takes up that measure, and that cubit in the measuring cord, which measured it, the measuring cord expands further, a second cubit appears in it, and it measures another cubit. So it is in all the measures.

The measuring cord, Masach de Man’ula, extends from Malchut herself. The measuring cord is Masach de Miftacha, which means that Malchut was mitigated in Bina and received the form of Bina. The measuring below, in Malchut, is not because of herself, like the measuring reed, but is there from the measuring above. By the ascent of Malchut to Bina, she received from her the Katnut and the Gadlut, and all the measurements in her degrees.

Each cubit means a measure of Mochin that can be extended from above downward. The Mochin come in three lines. The right line is Hassadim, the left line is Hochma, and the middle line consists of both Hassadim and Hochma. The curtains are the heaven, ZA, and Hochma is covered in it, and only the Hassadim illuminate in it.

The numbers of the Mochin of illumination of Hochma is thousands. The measuring below, a measuring that extends from above downward, is 1,500 Behinot—a line and half a line: the right line is complete, 1,000 and half of the middle line, from the Hassadim in it, half a thousand, 500. However, the 1,500 from the left line and half the middle line from the Hochma in it do not appear in it.

Yet, even though only the right side 1,500 are extended, which are only Hassadim, do not mistake them for being only Hassadim, without inclusion with the left line, Hochma. This is why it was said, “And each Behina is 12,000 cubits,” since 12 is the four Sefirot HG TM, in

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each of which are three lines. Thus, each of the 1,500 Behinot is included with these 12,000, which necessarily have illumination of the left. However, they are regarded as a line and half a line of the right side because the right is in control, and the left is only by inclusion.

243) “Twenty eight cubit” is the measure of one cubit. “And its width was four cubit” is with the same cubit. There is not difference between them, from cubit to cubit, since each illuminates only in Hassadim. For this reason, they are regarded as one cubit. It follows that one cubit is 32 thirds, as it is written, “And all with a third, the dust of the earth.” A third means illumination of Hochma in the left. The measure of length and width is the illumination of the left that is clothed in Hassadim, since the light of Hochma is called “length,” and the light of Hassadim is called “width.” Hence, he calls them “32 thirds,” which are 28 and four. They are 32, corresponding to the 32 paths of Hochma that come out from above, but the domination is only for illumination of Hassadim.

244) And when the measure of length was made with this measuring, they are four sides of the same length, opposite HG TM, and each side is seven cubits, which are HGT NHYM. For this reason, these seven cubits rise to four sides, in the matter of seven, which are KH in the length, since seven is superior in all, for seven is the Malchut, the lower Hochma. Also, all 32 paths of Hochma are included in seven, in the holy name, in Malchut, which is called “holy name.”

245) But it is written, “One measure to all the curtains.” This means that in each curtain there are many cubits. Therefore, should the text say that there is one measure to all of them? Of course there is one measure, one cubit. Although the measuring cord expanded cubit by cubit, one by one, it adds nothing to the first cubit because they all illuminate only in Hassadim. It follows that that same cubit is doubled again, and this is what the text is telling us. It all comes in the Mochin of the light of above, Bina, so that above and below, in Bina and in Malchut, it will be one measure.

246) This measure is more in Kedusha, since there is another measure, covering the ten curtains within, meaning covering the goat hair curtains. The other measure that covers amounts to 34, while the curtains inside amount to 32. Thus, one covers the other, the 32 inside, the 34 outside.

247) The first measure is holy, in holy colors: “Twisted linen and azure and purple and scarlet.” These imply HGT and Malchut: linen is Hesed, scarlet is Gevura, purple is Tifferet, and azure is Malchut. The entire count amounts to 32—28 to the length and four to the width. The second measure of the goat hair curtains on the outside, covering this one, amounts to 34—30 cubits to the length, and four to the width, as it is written, “Happy is he who educates the poor; in the day of evil, the Lord will deliver him.” The Lord will actually deliver him in the day of evil with the Dinim themselves because the goat hair curtains imply meagerness and Dinim. They cover and protect the Kedusha, which is the curtains of twisted linen, azure, purple, and scarlet, so that the outer ones will not suckle from them.

248) The count inside, in the curtains of twisted linen, azure, purple, and scarlet is 32 paths of Hochma. It is written about the count outside, “And you shall make goat hair curtains.” The name “goats” indicates harsh and strong Dinim. Its color is to let it cover the Kedusha, which is why goat hair curtains are needed—the Dinim in them keep the Kedusha from the outer ones being able to cling to Kedusha. There are curtains of twisted linen, azure, purple, and scarlet in the tabernacle, as it is written, “I went down into the garden of walnuts.” A walnut has a shell that covers the Moach [brain/marrow/interior] in it. Likewise, anything in

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Kedusha, the Kedusha is inside and the Sitra Achra is on the outside, as it is written, “A wicked crowns the righteous.” This is why it is called “a walnut.”

249) In that one that is on the outside, in goat hair curtains, all who add, diminish. As with the oxen of the festival, which gradually diminish because they are sacrificed over the nations of the world, the external ones, here, too, it is written about what is inside, “And you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains.” And of what is outside, it is written, “Eleven curtains.” It adds the letter Ayin to the 12, reducing from the count, for one is reduced from the number 12 by the addition of the Ayin to the 12.

When adding a number, it reduces. Adding a number, as it is written, “The length of one curtain was thirty cubits and its width was four cubits.” But the inner curtains were only twenty-eight in length, so in the calculation, it is less, for it adds up to thirty-four [in Gematria: Dal (meager, Dalet-Lamed)]. Of all the names, there is none so hard as the one called Dal. For this reason, when it adds in the number, it adds in deficit.

250) And when it reduces the number, it adds in ascension, for it rises to the 32 paths of Hochma, which is all the faith, Malchut, the holy name. Hence, one who reduces, ascends, and one who adds, reduces. One ascends and reduces, and one reduces and ascends. One is inside, curtains of twisted linen, which reduces and ascends, and one is outside, goat hair curtains, ascending and reducing.

251) This measuring cord began to expand and measured a measure for the boards, as it is written, “And he made the boards for the tabernacle of acacia-wood, standing up.” These boards are the seraphim in the world of Beria, as it is written, “Acacia-wood, standing up,” and it is also written, “Seraphim stand.”

252) Measuring this measure is ten cubits to the length of the board, and a cubit and a half to the width. Here it writes, “Ten cubits,” and does not write “Ten cubit,” as with the curtains. These ten cubit are three, three, three, which is nine, HBD HGT NHY of the seraphim, and the one that is above them, a spirit that is over them, the Achoraim of Malchut de Atzilut, the dominion of Hochma. And since there are two dominions here—the dominion of Hassadim and the dominion of Hochma—they are called “cubits,” in plural form. But with the curtains, where there was only one dominion—of Hassadim—it is called “cubit.”

253) The measure of cubit includes 28 to the length and four to the width, which is 32. Here the measure is 11 and a half—ten to the length, and a cubit and a half to the width—which are 11 and a half cubits all together, which amount to 12. Yet, they do not add up because they are lacking one half, since they are lacking in the Ophanim, lacking the Malchut, who is called Ophanim, as they are only three times three, which are nine—HBD HGT NHY—lacking their Malchut.

There are 20 boards in the holy Merkava—ten to the right, and ten to the left—until they ascend to the upper seraphim—the two lines right and left of the seraphim, which are regarded as superior, and the middle line, regarded as inferior. Afterwards, the Kedusha rises until everyone in the middle crossbar awaken, receiving from the middle line, and those three lines in Rosh, Toch, Sof—HBD HGT NHY. However, the Malchut is missing in them. This is why there is one half in them, incomplete, and they are only 11 and a half and not the whole 12.

The missing Malchut is Malchut de Man’ula, as there is only the Malchut de Miftacha, Yesod. This is why Malchut is regarded as missing half of her Partzuf from the Chazeh down, 45 lights. 12 are three lines, where in each line there are three lines, for in each line are HG TM.

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And since Malchut—the 12th Partzuf in them—is only a half Partzuf, through the Chazeh, it follows that there are only 11 and a half Partzufim in them. Because they are lacking the core of Malchut, there is only a half Partzuf, up to her Chazeh, for up to there it is considered the first nine in her, through Yesod, and half the Partzuf from the Chazeh down is missing. This is why they are only 11 and a half, and this is why the boards are three lines, which are 10 to the right, 10 to the left, and the middle crossbar. And Malchut is not mentioned among them because she is lacking in them.

254) A measure of 11 and a half for twenty boards is 230, since 20 times 11 and a half is 230, and all of that is measured in the account. Thus, each count is done, coming out of this measuring in the seraphim.

255) The curtains of the tabernacle are high secrets, the heaven, ZA, as it is written, “Stretching out heaven like a curtain.” They add up to 32. There are also curtains of twisted linen, azure, purple, and scarlet, and there are goat hair curtains. It is all above, from the heaven, to know the wisdom of every discernment and every matter.

Therefore, man discerns between good and evil, between curtains of twisted linen, which are good, and goat hair curtains, which are bad, between Hochma and Hassadim, between curtains of twisted linen, which are under the rule of Hassadim, and the boards, which are under the rule of Hochma, as well. This explains the first measurement that was in the cubit, the 1,500 Behinot in each Behina, 12,000 cubit.

256) The ark calculates from whom it takes, from whom it receives, and of what is in it. It receives from both sides, right and left, and it takes from those two sides. For this reason, it is a cubit to the right, a cubit to the left, and half a cubit of its own. This is why it is written, “Its length was two cubits and a half,” two cubits from the two sides, right and left, and half of its own. This is to the length. To the width and to the height, they are one and a half cubits: one cubit from the side where it takes more, such as when taking from the right and left, and half of its own. The ark, Malchut, receives from all, and is in everyone’s calculation.

The measure of the length implies illumination of Hochma. The measure of the width implies illumination of Hassadim. The measure of the height implies illumination of Hochma extended by the middle line. The measure of the length is regarded as taking without receiving because first, it takes the Hassadim in the right line, and then it takes the Hochma in the left line. And before the Hochma dresses in Hassadim, the illumination of Hochma is not received. Likewise, Hassadim are not received because there is a dispute between right and left.

Thus, there is taking, for it already took the illumination of the two lines. Also, there is no reception because they do not illuminate in it. But afterwards, when receiving the Hassadim through the middle line, the Hassadim come into reception, and this is the width. Then, when receiving illumination of Hochma corrected in Hassadim through the middle line, the Hochma comes into reception.

We should also discern the receiver of these three qualities itself, receiving from both sides, right and left. The right is the width, and the left is the height. It takes from those two sides—right and left—that it takes in the length, hence it is a cubit on the right, Hassadim, a cubit on the left, Hochma, and half of its own, the half that receives for itself, Malchut, who is regarded as half a measure. This is why it is written, “Its length was two cubits and half a cubit,” two cubits from two sides, from the right and from the left that it takes in the length, and the half is the receiver itself, Malchut, half a cubit.

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To the width and to the height, they are a cubit and a half. That is, it is one and a half cubit in width and one and a half cubits in height. The cubit implies one cubit from the side that takes more, that the width receives more of the side of Hassadim, right, and the height receives more of the left side, illumination of Hochma. They are like the right and the left that it takes in the length. Likewise, the width favors the right, and the height favors the left.

For this reason, they are a cubit each, and half of its own, the “self” of the receiver itself, half a cubit that joins both the width and the height. Because a matter can only be over a matter, the measure of the receiver itself—on which there is the right, left, or both—should be mentioned in each. Therefore, to the length, which includes two lines one at a time, it is two and a half cubits. To the width, which is only Hassadim from the middle line, a cubit and a half. To the height, which is Hochma in the middle line, a cubit and a half.

257) The Hitkalelut of illumination of Hochma is called “gold.” This is why the ark is coated with gold from within and from without. It is a measure that is in the first measurement in the curtains, and it is all in regard to one matter. The table, too, is as measured in the first measure in the curtains.

258) But the measurement in the ark that is in the Torah, and the first measurement as in the curtains, must not be used more than what had appeared to the high sages, to know the wisdom in it, and to discern between good and evil, between the upper Hochma and the Hochma in Malchut. All of the other works of the tabernacle were with a measuring of a cubit, as with the curtains, except for the measure of the breast piece, which is the little finger.

259) The gowns of Aaron and his sons were made in holiness, even though no measure is mentioned in regard to them. It is so because it was all six, in Hesed that includes VAK, HGT NHY, and in the work of the six, the six strings HGT NHY de ZA, and stands and persists in six. All the corrections in the tabernacle were to wear and to be corrected in six, HGT NHY de ZA, and in six, which is Hesed.

260) All the measurements taken in the tabernacle were with the measuring cord. The measuring reed was in the measuring of Ezekiel, for he is a house in which to be in its place, within those partitions, within those walls, within those openings, and within those doors, so that all will be measured. But in the future, it is written about the measuring of Ezekiel’s house, “And the side-chambers were broader as they wound about higher and higher.” It is so because when they begin to build with the measuring reed, it will rise higher and higher to the length and to the width; there will be expansion to all sides, and it will not be looked upon as evil, for all will be holy.

Although the measuring cord is illumination of Masach de Man’ula, there is no Zivug on it prior to the end of correction, due to the Din in her. But in the future, there will be no Din in the Man’ula in the house of Ezekiel, and no evil will be seen in her. Therefore, the measuring will be with the measuring reed, since there will be no Din in the world. This is why everything exists and persists completely, as it is written, “And will not be disturbed again, nor will the wicked afflict them any more.”

261) All the measures and all the measurements are in this world, so that this world will exist such as above, to connect this world with the upper world, so that all will be one. But when the Creator awakens to renew the world, all the worlds will be one, like the upper world, and the glory of the Creator will be in all of them. Then it is written, “On that day, the Lord will be one, and His name, One,” meaning His name, Malchut, will itself be one, like HaVaYaH.

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The Name Mem-Bet and AB262) It is written, “The secret of the Lord is to them that fear Him; and His covenant is to make them know it.” The upper secret, which is concealed, stands only for those who fear Him, who always fear the Creator, who are worthy of these sublime secrets, and to have these secrets in them in hiding and concealment as it should be, as they are sublime secrets. However, “And His covenant, to make them know it, the secret that stands in the holy covenant. “To make them know it,” since it is a place that is poised for revealing and for knowing, since the Yesod discloses the illumination of Hochma in Malchut. “To make them know it,” through Malchut.

263) “The secret of the Lord is to them that fear Him.” These secrets stand in fear, and those who fear sin, fear those high secrets, so as not to engage in them. However, “And His covenant is to make them know it,” to know and to interpret the matters because they are things that are about to be interpreted, as the secrets are interpreted through the Yesod, and there is no fear engaging in them.

264) The world, Malchut, was engraved and persists in 42 letters. The covering of the lights and their concealment is called “engraving,” and the disclosure of the lights is called “persisting,” the Mochin that sustain the degree. They are all the crown of the holy name because the name Mem-Bet [42] is GAR, KHB, which become a crown to Malchut, who is called “a name.” When Mem-Bet letters unite in order to be givers, they rise in His letters, in Bina, where they appear for the first time, and descend to ZA. Then crowns crown in him to the four directions of the world, which are HG TM through the Chazeh—the three lines and Malchut who receives them—and he can exist, meaning receive these Mochin from Bina, by which he exists.

There are three discernments in the name Mem-Bet:

1) Its essential form, the Mochin KHB in upper AVI, which are Hochma. These are four letters of simple HaVaYaH, Keter, the ten letters in the complete HaVaYaH, Hochma, and the 28 letters in the filling of the filling of the name HaVaYaH, Bina. Together, they are 42 letters.

2) The form of a king engraved on a seal, meaning the three lines that emerged in YESHSUT, Bina. All the worlds that are similar to them were sealed in these three lines of Bina, like the forms in the imprint that are similar to the forms in the seal. However, although upper AVI are the essence of the Mochin de GAR, they are still not regarded as the seal of the Mochin of the worlds because the Yod does not come out of their Avir. The name Mem-Bet is the two names EKYEH [Heb: “I will be”] in “I will be what I will be,” which is 42 in Gematria.

3) The name Mem-Bet in the form of a wax seal. This is the three lines of ZA, indicating that there are two operations in it:

a. It is sealed by the original seal, Bina;

b. It seals the forms of the Mochin in Malchut. Like wax, which once sealed can also be a seal to seal something else.

Here it begins with the name Mem-Bet in Bina, the original seal, and then with the name Mem-Bet in ZA. It explains how the letters of the name Mem-Bet in ZA emerge and seal the Malchut, and then implies the name Mem-Bet in AVI.

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265) Subsequently, the letters from the name Mem-Bet in ZA come out, ten utterances and 32 Elokim in the work of creation. Together, they make 42 that illuminate in ZA and create the world, Malchut above and below, the point of Holam that cuts Malchut in two: KH remaining above, Bina and TM descending to the world of Beria. KH remained in the world of unification, Atzilut; Bina and TM descended to the world of Beria, the world of separation.

Afterwards, Bina and TM rose back from Beria to Atzilut at the point of Shuruk, and then they are called “divided mountains” because once they ascended to Atzilut, Bina and TM parted from the right, from KH, for a dispute was made between them, and it is as though they were cut off from one another. These are the mountains of separation that are watered when the south, the right line, begins to draw closer to the left line. At that time the waters flow and the mountains of separation, the left line, are watered. The water is extended by this power above, in ZA, and all is in joy.

266) When the thought, Hochma, willingly rises with joy in the one who is more covered than all who are covered, Keter, another light, Bina, comes and pours out of him. They draw closer to each other, meaning Hochma unites with Bina, and this is the essence of the form of the name Mem-Bet, the Mochin de KHB. The four letters of simple HaVaYaH, the ten letters of HaVaYaH in a filling, and the 28 letters of the filling of the filling, which are KHB. Together, they are 42 letters.

267) These 42 letters are a high secret, and the upper world, ZA, was created in them, as well as the lower world, Malchut. They are the keeping of all the worlds, as it is written, “The secret of the Lord is to them that fear Him; and His covenant is to make them know it.” The letters engraved in the name Mem-Bet—in His engravings—are revealed. An engraving indicates concealment and a secret. The letters of the name Mem-Bet are engraved and sunken because the Hochma does not appear in them. This is why it is written about them, “The secret of the Lord is to them that fear Him.” Yet, they appear in the name AB in Malchut according to the measure of their engraving in the name Mem-Bet. “The secret of the Lord is to them that fear Him” in the name Mem-Bet, “And His covenant is to make them know it,” in the name AB in Malchut.

268) It is written, “You shall put in the breast piece of the judgment the Urim and the Tummim.” “The Urim” [lights], which illuminate, the illuminating mirror, ZA, the engravings of the letters of the holy name Mem-Bet, with which the worlds were created, and the letters were sunken in the concealment of the Hochma. “And the Tummim” [Tam means whole] are the letters included in the place of the mirror that does not illuminate, Malchut, who illuminates in 72 engraved letters in the holy name. The name AB is disclosure of light of Hochma in Malchut, and all together, they are called Urim and Tummim.

269) When the letters of the name Mem-Bet are immersed in the breast piece of the judgment, other letters in the tribes come and illuminate in that force. They either illuminate or darken; it is all in the letters of the holy names, the name Mem-Bet. These letters come over the Torah, appearing in ZA, who is called “Torah,” and all the worlds were created with those letters. These names of the Mem-Bet were hidden and sunken in the breast piece, and the letters of the names of the tribes protruded upward. Hence, everything is from those letters.

270) It is written, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” The letter Bet, with which the Torah begins—the Bet of Beresheet [In the beginning] —created with the upper force, the force of those letters in the name Mem-Bet. Bet is a female, Malchut. Aleph is a male, ZA. As the Bet created, so Aleph elicited all 22 letters, which is Et [“of” or “of the,” but also Aleph through Tav], which includes 22 letters from Aleph to Tav.

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271) The letter Hey of ‘The heaven” indicates a Zivug with heaven, Bina who gives to the heaven, ZA, giving him life and for instilling Mochin upon him. The Vav of “And the earth,” ZA, is to give food to Malchut, to the earth, and to set up for her the provision fit for her. Vav of “And the,” indicates the 22 letters, since Et indicates the 22 letters from Aleph to Tav, from which the earth, Malchut, is fed. The earth includes them into her, as it is written, “All the rivers go to the sea,” meaning all the channels of abundance of ZA go to Malchut. “And the earth” indicates that Malchut gathers everything within her and receives them. The earth took the Vav and received her, as she is fed by her.

272) This is the meaning of the tabernacle being established only by Moses, since the upper degree, Bina, was awakened from the side of Moses, ZA, to keep the tabernacle, Malchut, so there would be the persistence of everything, as it is written, “And Moses established the tabernacle.” His establishing was with those letters with which the heaven and earth were created, with the name Mem-Bet.

273) This is why Bezalel did all the works of the tabernacle by engraving the letters with which the heaven and earth were created, the name Mem-Bet, and this is why he was called Bezalel [Betzel (in the shadow of) El (God)], since Bezalel knew the engraving of the letters with which the heaven and earth were created. Had Bezalel not known them, he would not be able to do those works in the tabernacle. Rather, as the upper tabernacle was, and as all its works were done only with the letters of the name Mem-Bet, the tabernacle below was also established only with those letters.

274) Bezalel would put together the letters of the name Mem-Bet, and with each putting together, he would do the work. With each work in the tabernacle, each putting together, he would do one work and all that befitted it. And likewise with all the works of the tabernacle. All those parts and corrections in the tabernacle were all in the putting together of the letters of the holy name AB.

275) When Bezalel came to establish the tabernacle, he could not erect it because the will and the intention that rises over the letters of the name Mem-Bet were given only to Moses, and he knew the will that rises to these letters. This is why the tabernacle was established by Moses, as it is written, “And Moses established,” “And Moses gave,” “And Moses placed.” Bezalel did not know and could not erect it.

He Asked Life of You276) “Lord, in Your strength the king will be glad, and in Your salvation how greatly he will rejoice! ...He asked life of You; You gave him length of days forever and ever.” David said this psalm in praise of the Assembly of Israel, Malchut, whom the Creator delights with the joy of Torah, who is called “strength,” as it is written, “The Lord will give strength to His people.” This is also the meaning of “Lord, in Your strength.” as “The king will be glad” is the Creator, who is called a King, as it is written, “And there was a king in Jeshurun.”

277) “And in Your salvation how greatly he will rejoice.” This is the salvation of the right, Hassadim, as it is written, “Save with Your right hand, and answer me.” And His right shall save him. “In Your salvation, how greatly he will rejoice.” It should have said “rejoice” [without a Yod in Hebrew], and not “rejoice” [with a Yod].” The added Yod is a token of the holy covenant, the joy of all, Yesod. Everything was said about the King, ZA.

278) “He asked life of You.” King David had no life at all except what Adam HaRishon gave him of his own. King David lived 70 years, and the Creator gave him those 70 years from the

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years of Adam HaRishon, who was to live 1,000 years, as it is written, “On the day that you eat of it,” which is the day of the Creator, 1,000 years. And he lived only 930 years, meaning 70 short, which he gave to King David. David lived in them and was given length of days in this world and in the next world. He says about it, “He asked life of You; You gave him length of days.”

279) It is written, “His glory is great through Your salvation,” for He is great, as it is written, “Great is our Lord and abundant in strength.” ZA is called “great.” It is written, “And God made the two great lights,” so even Malchut, the moon, was as big as ZA, the sun. This is why ZA is called “great,” as it is written, “Great is our Lord and abundant in strength,” but Malchut is not called “great,” since she was diminished again. The Creator is not called “great,” except in what is written, “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, His holy mountain.” In what is ZA great? Only “In the city of our God, His holy mountain,” Malchut.

ZA himself is always in Hassadim that are covered from Hochma. Only during the Zivug with Malchut does the Hochma appear in him, to bestow upon Malchut, and only one with light of Hochma is great. It follows that ZA is regarded as great only in the city of our God, during the Zivug with Malchut.

280) “For You make him most blessed forever.” “For You make him most blessed” because Malchut is the blessing of the entire world, and all the blessings in the world come from here. This is a blessing, as it is written, “And I shall make you a great nation, and shall bless you, and make your name great, and you will be a blessing.” It is so because in Malchut are all the blessings above, and from here they come out to the whole world. This is why she is called “a blessing.”

And They Brought the Tabernacle to Moses281) Here it is written, “You make him joyful with gladness,” and there it is written, “And Jethro rejoiced.” As the joy there was for Israel’s redemption from Egypt, here it is also for redemption, since the Creator is destined to raise the Assembly of Israel, Malchut, from the dust, to keep it in the right, and to renew her the renewal of the moon with the sun.

282) “You make him joyful with gladness in Your face.” “In Your face” means that He will be before you, and will be in gladness before you, in that wholeness that will be completed in the future, for when the Temple was ruined, Malchut was emptied of all that was filled, as it is written, “She who bore seven is dejected.” It is also written, “I shall be filled with she who is ruined.” And in the future, she will return, be renewed, and refilled.

283) When Moses erected the tabernacle, he looked at all those works that they did, that they were as they should be, and then he erected it. And each of those works that were in the tabernacle was brought to Moses, as it is written, “The virgins, her companions who follow her, will be brought to You.” “Brought to You” is as it is written, “And they brought the tabernacle to Moses,” the seven maidens that bring Malchut, the tabernacle, to Moses, ZA.

284) “They brought the tabernacle” because there was a Zivug of Moses, ZA. Hence, “And they brought the tabernacle,” Malchut, “To Moses,” as a bride comes to the groom’s house, since first, the bride must be brought to the groom, as it is written, “I have given my daughter to this man for a wife.” And then he comes to her, as it is written, “And he came to her.” It is also written, “And Moses came to the tent of meeting,” to Malchut.

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285) Moses could not come to the tent of meeting because the cloud was on it, since she was fixing herself like a woman who fixes herself and adorns herself for her husband. And when she is fixing herself, it is inappropriate for her husband to come to her. Hence, Moses could not come to the tent of meeting, for the cloud was on it. For this reason, “And they brought the tabernacle to Moses.” It is also written, “And Moses saw all the work.”

286) The color azure was on all the works of the tabernacle because azure is a color to be adorned in all the colors, for it is the black light in the candle, to which the white light clings, as it is written, “And they made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote upon it a writing, like the engravings of a signet: ‘Holy to the Lord,’ and placed on it an azure thread.” And it is written, “And you shall make a plate of pure gold and shall engrave on it, like the engravings of a seal, ‘Holy to the Lord,’ and you shall put it on an azure thread.”

There Are Capturing Fortresses287) In the upper secrets, meaning upper lights, there are capturing fortresses, meaning the Dinim in the left line. The lights ascend and descend. The fortresses are in their posts. The lights, the turning wheels, are present since the time when the dust was gathering, and they circle the world in a circle.

HG TM de ZA are called “the four legs of the chair,” Bina, and with respect to the Merkava [chariot/structure] they are called “four wheels”—three lines and Malchut who receives them. They are called “turning wheels” because they illuminate as they roll and travel. They were completed on the third day of the work of creation, when Malchut was established from what she was, prior to the arrival of the middle line, as dry and crumbled dust, in the Dalet of the EhaD [“one,” a special word in the Shema prayer]. The dust gathered and became a fruit-bearing land by having received from the middle line, and then the four wheels were completed.

This is why it was said that they are present since the time when the dust gathered, from the time it is written, “Let the earth put forth grass.” They illuminate the Malchut through their circling, which is called “world,” Nukva de ZA. Also, those wheels circle the world in a circle because they do not illuminate to the world, Nukva de ZA, except by circling, and this is why it is considered that they are circling the world.

288) In the circling that they circle the deserts, the domination of absorption of Hochma within them, there is a wheel among them that is turning and not turning. It stands in 12,000 worlds; it is among the wheels; it rises and journeys among them.

The world divides into the settled and the deserts. The right line is ascribed to the settled; the left line is ascribed to the deserts. The circle that the deserts circle is the left line, the domination of absorption, meaning obtainment of Hochma within them, since the Hochma is extended by the circles of the left line.

The fourth wheel, Malchut, is not considered a specific line, but rather receives from the three lines. There are three lines in it, as well, and it turns and does not turn because with respect to the three lines that it receives, it is considered turning. But in itself, there is no turning in it, hence it is regarded as not turning.

It stands in 12,000 worlds because the three lines in it illuminate in HG TM in it, and three times four is 12. Since the illumination of Hochma in them is called “thousands,” they are 12,000 worlds, on which the fourth wheel stands. And because it is between three lines, it ascends and travels within them, and its turning comes to it because it is found in the three

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lines in which it travels. But with respect to its being 12,000 worlds and not 16,000, it is regarded as not turning, since her own Behina [essence/discernment] is missing, as even in Malchut there are no more than three lines, without the Behina of Malchut.

289) A pillar stands under the fourth wheel, pinned through the great deep. In the great deep, stones are rolling, rising, and falling within the deeps. That pillar stands atop them, journeying and not journeying, pinned from above downward. 220 other wheels surround that pillar.

The great deep is Malchut that is mitigated in Bina. The pinned down pillar is Yesod de ZA. Under the fourth wheel—Malchut from Chazeh de ZA and above—meaning from Chazeh de ZA and below, “A pillar stands,” Yesod de ZA, “Pinned through the great deep,” meaning the mitigated Malchut.

“In the great deep, stones are rolling,” meaning Masachim, “Within the deeps,” within the Malchuts. “Rising” means that the Masachim raise Ohr Hozer, and “Falling” means that Ohr Yashar comes down, as is the case with the Zivug of the upper light on the Masach in the Kli of Malchut. “That pillar stands atop them,” meaning that the upper light extends to these stones through the Yesod.

Yesod receives all the Behinot in Partzuf ZA, and it, itself, is the middle line from Chazeh de ZA and below. Accordingly, it, too, is considered among the three traveling lines. On the one hand, it is regarded as traveling, as it is the middle line, and it also receives HG TM of above. Hence, it travels like them. On the other hand, it is regarded as not traveling because there is no journeying of lines in the place from the Chazeh and below, but only what the wheels above the Chazeh illuminate on them. “Pinned from above downward” means that it extends everything that there is above Chazeh de ZA to the place below Chazeh de ZA.

Yesod consists of Hochma and Hassadim, and it is called Avrech. It is made of the letters Av [father] Rach [soft]—Av from Hochma, and Rach from Hassadim. However, the dominion in it is given to Hassadim, and the Hochma is only included in it. It was said, “220 other wheels surround that pillar.” It is not like the fourth wheel, in which the Hochma has dominion, but the wheels that turn and illuminate around the Yesod—220 [Rach in Gematria] wheels—are only Hassadim, which are called Rach [“soft,” 220]. Moreover, Rach indicates a general illumination of all twenty-two letters, where each letter contains ten Sefirot, and ten times 22 is 220.

290) The other wheel on the pinned down pillar, the fourth wheel, which stands in 12,000 worlds, is turning inside the tabernacle, Nukva de ZA. It turns and does not turn, and the tabernacle stands on 12,000 worlds. In the tabernacle, there is that clarion who calls, “Beware the turning wheel!”

291) One who has eyes in Tevuna [gumption] will know and regard the wisdom of his Master, and will know these sublime matters where the keys of his Master are found, which are hidden within the holy tabernacle. They are happy in this world and happy in the next world. It is written about them, “Happy is the man whose strength is in You; in whose heart are the highways.” “Happy is the man whom You choose, and bring near, that he may dwell in Your courts; may we be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, the holy place of Your palace!”

The Letters of HaVaYaH as the Letters of ADNI292) There are high secrets in the tabernacle, the holy name ADNI. This is the meaning of the tabernacle, like the upper secret, the secret of the ark, as it is written, “Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth.” “The Lord of all the earth,” the holy meaning of the

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name, Aleph-Dalet-Nun-Yod, like the holy name HaVaYaH, since the letters of ADNI are as the letters HaVaYaH.

293) Aleph of ADNI is like Yod of HaVaYaH, Aba. Yod, in full, is like Aleph because the shape of the Aleph is Yod on top, Vav in the middle, and Dalet underneath, meaning Yod-Vav-Dalet [Yod]. Dalet of ADNI is the Hey de HaVaYaH, Ima, since when Malchut clothes the left line of Ima, she is called Dalet, and one is like the other.

Nun of ADNI is Vav of HaVaYaH, Tifferet, the middle line. Although Vav is a male and Nun is a female, one was included in the other, Tifferet of ADNI, Malchut, Nun, mingled with Tifferet of HaVaYaH, ZA, Vav. Nun-Vav are in the middle, since Nun is in the middle of the letters of tens: Yod, Chaf, Lamed, Mem, Nun, Samech, Ayin, Peh, Tzadi. Vav is in the middle of the letters of units: Aleph, Bet, Gimel, Dalet, Hey, Vav, Zayin, Het, Tet, Yod. Nun is a female, in the first half; Vav is a male, in the second half, since they are one whole.

Hey of HaVaYaH is Yod of ADNI, Malchut, since here the Hey is small Hochma, which is called “the wisdom [Hochma] of Solomon,” illumination of Hochma that appears in Malchut.

294) The letters were included in one another: the four letters ADNI were included in the four letters HaVaYaH. They are included in one another and it is all one. The lower tabernacle, in the earth, is in the upper tabernacle, Malchut, who is called ADNI, and the upper tabernacle is in another tabernacle, superior to all, Bina. It is all included in one another to become one. This is why it is written, “That the tabernacle may be one.”

And Moses Established the Tabernacle295) On the day when the tabernacle was erected, they could not erect it until Moses erected it. Like a queen that no one has permission to raise her up except her husband, here, too, all the craftsmen came to erect the tabernacle, but they could not establish by them until Moses, who is a Merkava for ZA, the queen’s husband, came and erected it because he is the landlord.

296) When Moses established the tabernacle below, another tabernacle was established above. It is written, “The tabernacle was established,” but it does not interpret by whom because it was established from the upper, hidden and concealed world by Moses, ZA, to be corrected with it.

297) It is written, “And all the wise men who do all the holy work came.” If this concerns the tabernacle of above, who are the wise men who do the holy work there? They are right and left, and all the other edges of ZA, which are paths and trails by which to enter the sea, Malchut, the tabernacle, and fill it. They are the ones who made the tabernacle above and established it.

298) It is likewise in the tabernacle below. It is written, “And Bezalel and Oholiab shall do.” Bezalel is to the right, Hassadim, and Oholiab is to the left, Hochma. One is from Judea, Malchut, from the right, and one is from Dan, left. They correspond to right and left of ZA.

Afterwards, it is written, “And every wisehearted man.” “And all the wise men who do all the holy work came,” corresponding to the rest of the sides of ZA, and everything in the tabernacle below corresponds to the tabernacle above.

299) On the day when the tabernacle was established, death was cancelled in the world. Do not say, “cancelled,” but that death departed from the world and could not rule. After all, the evil inclination, who is the angel of death, will not be cancelled from the world until the Messiah King arrives, and the Creator is delighted with His deeds, and then it is written,

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“Death shall be swallowed up forever.” When the tabernacle was established by Moses, the power of the evil inclination was separated and surrendered, and could not rule. At that time, SAM separated the power of the anger of the left from the power of the evil serpent, hence the evil serpent could not rule the world and could not connect to people and incite them.

300) When Israel made the calf, it is written, “And Moses took the tent and pitched it outside the camp,” since he saw the evil inclination walking among them. Moses, said, “The side of Kedusha will not be inside the side of Tuma’a.” As long as the side of Kedusha governs, the side of Tuma’a cannot govern and surrenders before the Kedusha. For this reason, as long as Jerusalem is full, the evil Tyre will be ruined.

She Fell Off the Camel301) It is written, “And Rebecca raised her eyes and saw Isaac, and she fell off the camel. And she said to the servant, ‘Who is this man who is walking in the field toward us?’ And the servant said, ‘He is my lord.’” Why is this verse written in the Torah? Did she slip from the camel because she saw Isaac’s beauty?

302) Rather, when Rebecca came to Isaac, it was the time of the afternoon prayer, when the Din awakens in the world. She saw him in anger of harsh Din and she saw that the end of the harsh Din below is a camel, death. This is why she descended and dropped herself from the camel, for when the harsh Din looks, the camel grows stronger. This is why she dropped herself off of it and did not sit there.

303) A camel is as it is written, “And He will repay him his reward,” since Gamal [camel] comes from the word Gemul [“reward” or “pay”], the reward of the wicked, as it is written, “Woe to the wicked ... for the work of his hands shall be done to him.” This is a camel, which is poised to eat everything and to consume everything. It is always ready against people. For this reason, one who saw a camel in one’s dream is shown that he was sentenced to death, and was saved from it.

304) The side of Tuma’a is called “a camel,” which caused death to the entire world. This is what incited Adam and his wife to the tree of knowledge. SAM rode it when he came to mislead the world and caused death to all. For this reason, it came and governed everything. Adam drew it to him, and when he drew it to him, it was drawn after them until it incited them. This is why Solomon said, “And do not come near the door of her house,” for anyone who comes near her house, she comes out and connects, and is drawn after him.

305) When Rebecca saw Isaac in harsh Din, and saw that another strong Din was coming out of the filth of gold, she promptly fell off the camel, to break loose from the Din of that filth. It is written, “The voice of the Lord repays His enemies,” from filth.

306) When Israel made the deed and caused the sin, why a calf? They did not choose a calf. Rather, they said, “Arise, make us a god who will go before us.” But Aaron wished to detain them, so who chose a calf?

307) Indeed, the work was done properly. When the gold, left line, is sorted, the waste comes out and separates into several Behinot of left, and to all those who have a red color, which is the look of gold that is in the mountains when the sun is up, since the power of the sun shows the gold and begets it in the earth. And the appointee over the power of the sun looks like a calf. He is called “The destruction that lays waste at noon.”

That red fusion of gold comes out of the calf, as well as all those who come from the red side, from the spirit of Tuma’a, and spread in the world. This is why the calf was made of the

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fusion of the gold that Aaron threw into the fire. That is, HB TM in the left are ox, cow, calf, and heifer. Tifferet on the left is a calf, and from there the Sitra Achra and the golden calf are extended.

The Waste of Gold308) The spirit of Tuma’a is the evil serpent. SAM rides it, and they are male and female, which are called “these.” They are present in the world in all their Behinot. The spirit of holiness is called “That” [in female form], which is the covenant, the holy impression that is always with the man, Ateret Yesod. It is also called “this” [in male form], as it is written, “This is the Lord.” It is also written, “This is my God.” However, they are called “these,” as it is written, “These are your gods, Israel,” and it is written, “These may forget, as well,” relating to the deed with the calf, and “I,” which is “this,” will not forget you.

It is written, “For these I weep,” since the sin of the calf, which is called “these,” caused them to cry. The sin of the calf is called “these” because the letters ELEH [these] are Bina and TM that fell from each degree to the degree below it, where KH that remained in the degree are MI of Elokim, and Bina and TM that fell are ELEH of Elokim. However, afterwards they returned to the degree and became the left line. Then, through the middle line, the letters ELEH reunited with the letters MI, and the name Elokim was completed. Yet, the sin of the calf was that they clung only to the left line and did not want the middle line.

It follows that the letters ELEH, which are left, did not bond with the letters MI on the right, to complete the name Elokim, but caused separation in the name Elokim because they took only the left line, which is ELEH [these]. Thus, the whole sin of the calf was because they separated the letters ELEH from Elokim and took them for themselves, as it is written, “These are your gods, Israel.” This is also the sin of the tree of knowledge, that SAM and the serpent seduced her into separating ELEH from Elokim, which is why they are called “these.”

309) “For these I weep,” since permission was given to the place called “these” to rule over Israel and destroy the Temple. “I weep” is the holy spirit, Malchut, who is called “I.”

310) But it is written in admonition, “Are these the words of the covenant?” Of course. And here, too, it relates to the Sitra Achra, since all those curses exist only out of “these,” where all the curses are found. The Sitra Achra is cursed, as it is written, “You are more cursed than all beast.” For this reason, he first said, “These,” which stands over those who transgressed against the words of the covenant, as it is written, “These are the commandments that the Lord commanded Moses.” It is so because the Mitzvot [commandments] of the Torah are to purify a man so he will not stray to this path of “these,” and will be safeguarded from them and part from them. And it is written, “These are the commandments,” for the commandments come to purity “these.”

311) “These are the generations of Noah.” There, too, was the Sitra Achra, since Ham, Canaan’s father, came out, and it is written, “Cursed be Canaan.” This is why it is written “These,” for he is cursed.

312) For this reason, all those are fusion of waste of the gold. Aaron offered gold, which is his side, in relation to him being included in the power of the fire when the right is included in the left. For this reason, Aaron, who is right, was included in the left, the power of the fire, and the left side is gold and fire.

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The Calf313) The spirit of Tuma’a, which is always present in the desert, found at that time a place in which to be strengthened. And while Israel were purified from the first filth that the serpent cast in the world, causing death to all, since the time they stood by Mount Sinai, now the sin with the calf defiled them as before. It prevailed over them and caused death to them and to the entire world once more, as well as to the generations following them, as it is written, “I said, ‘You are gods, and all of you sons of the Most High, yet you shall die like men.” This is why Aaron later returned to be purified in the upper faith in those seven holy days, the days of consecration, and then to be purified with the calf for a sin-offering.

314) Primarily, Aaron needed to be purified for had it not been for him, the calf would not have come out, since Aaron is right [line], he is the power of the sun, and the gold is from the sun, for the sun, Tifferet, consists of right and left, hence the gold comes out from the left. However, the power and dominion of the sun is right. The spirit of Tuma’a came down and was included there in the gold, the calf was made, Israel were defiled, and Aaron was defiled until they are purified.

315) He was defiled because the calf came out from the left side, which is an ox. As there are four Behinot on the left—ox, cow, calf, and heifer—these are HB TM of the left. The left is included in Aaron, who is right, and comes out by him. This is why he was given a calf for a sin-offering, just as he caused.

316) Thus, when the spirit of Tuma’a grew stronger and regained dominion over the world as before—for when Israel sinned with the calf, they extended the evil inclination upon them as before—when Israel were purified and wanted to be purified, they had to offer a he-goat, since the he-goat is part of the evil inclination, the spirit of Tuma’a.

317) “And they exchanged their glory for the image of an ox that eats grass.” “The image of an ox” is a calf. An ox is from the left side. Aaron is right, the left is included in him, intensified in him, and came out by him. “And they exchanged their glory” is Divinity, who was walking before them. They exchanged her with Tuma’a, another god. This is why the filth was not removed from the world until the Creator removes it from the world, as it is written, “And I will remove the ... spirit of impurity from the land.”

318) It is written, “And [he] made it a molten calf.” It is also written, “And I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf.” This means that he did not make it, but that it was made by another, so what is “And [he] made it”? Had it not been for Aaron, the spirit of Tuma’a would not have been strengthened to be included in gold. However, every correction that is needed must be built, and this is built by the charmers.

319) Some do magic and succeed, and some do and do not succeed, since these works require an established man.

320) Balaam was established for those charms of his, so he would succeed. It is written, “And the saying of the man whose eye is opened.” Open-eyed and close-eyed are all one, since one of his eyes was always closed, and his vision was not straight. He was flawed in his eyes. This is why he was established for his charms. It is written, “And shall send him away by the hand of an appointed man,” who is ready for his mission, whose eyesight was not straight, meaning there will be a flaw in him because the Sitra Achra clings to a flaw and a deficiency. But one who uses the holy spirit, it is written, “For any man in whom there is a blemish, he shall not approach a blind man or a lame.”

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A Red Cow321) In the deed with the calf, everything was arranged for the spirit of Tuma’a to give it room to govern, since it found a completely desolate desert, as it is written, “In the great and terrible desert, a snake, a seraph, and a scorpion.” Its dominion comes from there; it found gold sufficiently, and it found Aaron, to be strengthened in the right and to be included in it. Then the place of the Sitra Achra was completed, he came out, and the work was done.

322) How do we know that it was the spirit of Tuma’a? Because it is written “Oh, this people have sinned a great sin.” This is the spirit of Tuma’a, the primordial serpent. When Aaron wished to be purified, he offered a calf for a sin-offering from that side, to execute Din on it by slaughtering and sacrificing on the altar. In the beginning, he made it govern, and now he will execute Din on it to subdue it, for when Din is done on that side, all who rule from his side surrender.

323) In Egypt, the side of the lamb, which the Egyptians worshiped, it is written, “Do not eat of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire,” so its smell would spread. And it is written, “Its head with its legs,” to break it and subdue it. Then, all who come from his side will not be able to rule. It is likewise with a faultless, red cow, to subdue all those sides of Tuma’a so they do not rule.

324) The holy cow is pure. Why does it compare it to a calf and a lamb that the Egyptians worshiped? Also, why does burning it subdue the sides of Tuma’a? The cow was the inclusion of four Malchuts. A cow is as it is written, “For Israel is froward like a froward cow.” “Red” means the kingdom of Babel. “Faultless” means the kingdom of Madai. “In which there is blemish” is the kingdom of Greece. “Upon which never came yoke” is the kingdom of Edom.

325) It is written, “Who can bring pure out of impure?” A red cow is pure that comes out of impure, since in the beginning, it was impure, including four Malchuts. And now that the Din was executed in it, and it was given into cremation in burning fire and became dust, it is pure that comes out of impure.

326) All who engaged in it are defiled because it is impure. When it is turned into ashes, before it is gathered and ascends from there, it defiles everyone. The ash that it should become is as it is written, “You will tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet.” And because water was placed on that ash, it is pure out of impure.

327) A sin-offering, as it is written, “Sin crouches at the door.” Likewise, the cow is a sin crouching at the door. This is why first it is written, “And it shall be brought outside the camp,” since making it was given to the coadjutor, and not to the high priest. This is pure out of impure: first it was impure, and now it is pure. And when he sees the whole side of the spirit of Tuma’a, he runs away and does not dwell in that place. This is why it purifies the impure.

328) This is why it is certainly water of sin-offering, water of menstruation; it is all Tuma’a. For this reason, once the Din is executed on it, the holy spirit rules, and the spirit of Tuma’a surrenders and does not rule at all. This Din that was done in the spirit of Tuma’a is outside the camp because it is the spirit of Tuma’a, and it is written, “And your camp shall be holy.”

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The Hair in the Tefillin329) The Creator gives dominion to the Sitra Achra, and there is a need to subdue the spirit of Tuma’a from all the sides. Come let me tell you a secret that can be disclosed only to those who are high and holy.

330) The Creator gave the spirit of Tuma’a dominion so it would rule in several ways and be able to harm. We have no permission to treat it with contempt because we must beware of it, so it does not slander us in our Kedusha. Hence, we have a secret: it must be given a little bit of room within our Kedusha, since out of the Kedusha, its dominion expires.

331) A single hair of a calf must be placed inside the Tefillin, so it sticks out and is visible, since this hair-string does not defile except when that hair connects and becomes as the measure. But less than that does not defile. That hair should be placed inside our upper Kedusha, and should be given room so he does not slander us in our Kedusha.

332) A bit of the hair will be outside the Tefillin, so it is visible. This is because when the Sitra Achra sees that man in the upper Kedusha, and his own part participates there, he will not slander him and will not be able to harm him above or below, for he has given him room. And if he is not given a part in this Kedusha, he could harm him below, and he ascends and slanders him above. He says, “So and so, who is now sanctifying, did this and that on a certain day, and these are his sins,” until the Din reaches that man and he is punished by it.

First, we should understand why we sometimes say that the disclosure of Malchut of Midat ha Din [quality of judgment], called Man’ula [lock], is a correction for all the Mochin, and we sometimes say that the disclosure of the Dinim de Man’ula defiles and separates the holy Zivug, and that it inflicts death upon a person. The thing is that the disclosure of the Man’ula that brings Tuma’a or a man’s death is not done all at once. Rather, through one’s sins, he causes multiple disclosures of the Man’ula above, and the connection of all those disclosures joins into a sufficient amount to take out the spirit of life from the person.

And yet, you should understand that the disclosure of the Man’ula in the Masach de Hirik that corrects the Mochin is less than the amount that will defile and chase the lights away. Therefore, it is possible to use it for correcting the Mochin. Moreover, the correction of the Mochin is inconceivable without it.

The calf’s hair is the disclosure of Malchut of Midat ha Din, since the calf indicates the calf that Israel made in the words, “These are your gods, Israel,” extending Hochma from above downward. It is written about it, “If you do not do well,” but extend the Hochma from above downward, then “Sin crouches at the door.” Eventually, Malchut of Midat ha Din shall be disclosed, which is why it is considered the calf’s hair, the storm that comes with the deed with the calf.

It was said that we are not permitted to treat the spirit of Tuma’a with contempt, since its dominion comes from the Kedusha. This is so because the disclosure of the Man’ula is the correction of the Kedusha that was done by the middle line. Hence, we cannot treat a slanderer with contempt, mocking it and not dealing with it, for because there is already the disclosure of the Man’ula in the Kedusha, he can always slander, mention a man’s iniquities, which are enough to chase the lights of life away from him. This is what was said, that since the root of the disclosure is already in Kedusha, we must fear his slandering.

“A single hair of a calf must be placed inside the Tefillin, so it sticks out and is visible,” since the calf’s hair implies the disclosure of the Man’ula. However, for a Tefillin, which are three

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lines corrected above in that disclosure, we should place a calf’s hair inside the Tefillin, and it should be disclosed outside the Tefillin, for then the slanderer will see that we include the part of his slandering in the correction of the Kedusha. Thus, he will not be able to turn it into slandering for harming a person.

To avoid the question, “How can the disclosure of Midat ha Din de Man’ula be in Kedusha, once it is known that wherever it appears, it defiles?” it was said that this hair-string defiles only if that hair connects and becomes as the measure. There is a measure for Tuma’a, made by proliferation of the iniquities of the lower ones, but less than that does not defile. The correction of the calf’s hair is less than that measure, hence it does not defile.

333) This is what Israel—who knew that secret—would do. When they began to be sanctified in high Kedusha on Yom Kippur [Day of Atonement], they would instantly see to giving a part to that place, and to giving him a portion among them so he would not slander them and would not come to mention Israel’s iniquities. There are several associations and several camps that are ready to that take that thing from him when he comes to slander. Happy is he who can keep from his iniquities being mentioned above, and he is not looked upon for harming.

335) On the day of Rosh Hashanah [New Year’s Eve], the world is sentenced, and the Creator sits and judges the entire world. The Sitra Achra stands on this side, watching over all those who were sentenced to death, and they are written before him. When Israel evoke mercy with the sound of the Shofar [ram’s horn], everything gets mixed up for him and he does not know and does not notice those who were sentenced. Until after all that, they do not repent and are sentenced to death, decrees come out from the King’s house and are given to the Sitra Achra. Once the decrees have been given to him, they do not return until the sentence is carried out.

336) All of Israel must beware the slanderer, and especially a person alone, for by the high meaning of above, one should beware. Because he has a root in Kedusha, he is to be given one he-goat each month, when the moon, Malchut, should be renewed, so he does not slander the renewal and takes his portion from the he-goat, while the holy moon, Malchut, suckles in the Kedusha to be renewed properly.

337) When she is renewed each month, she is called “a lad.” The Sitra Achra, who is always in Tuma’a and does not come out of it, is called “An old and foolish king.” For this reason, the holy Israel, which is a single nation in holy unification, the Creator gives them a counsel by which to be saved from everything. Happy are they in this world and in the next world, as it is written, “And Your people are all righteous; they shall forever inherit the land, the branch of My planting, the work of My hands to be glorified.”

And They Brought the Tabernacle to Moses338) “And above the firmament that was over their heads, as the appearance of a sapphire stone, was an image of a chair.” This is a firmament that stands over the four animals. When they rise through the Avir [air] that beats them—to elevate the chair, Malchut—they do not raise their heads up to look at Divinity in the chair, due to the firmament that is over them.

339) Because the spirit of the animal, Malchut, beats the animals and the Ophanim [wheels/angels], and through the spirit, all the animals and Ophanim in BYA ascend, as it is written, “And when the animals rose above the earth ... the Ophanim would rise beside them.” It is also written, “For the spirit of the animal is in the Ophanim.” Thus, the spirit of the animal, Malchut, elevates all of them.

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340) When the Avir of Malchut strikes the four animals, it raises those four animals that live beneath this animal, Malchut, and they elevate the animal until they bring it to the upper brightness, ZA, to Atzilut, as it is written, “Virgins following her, her companions brought to You.” The four animals are called so, and they never move from the animals, the chair, Malchut. They elevate Malchut from below upward to mend the chair, Malchut, in relation to above, ZA, as it is written, “And they carried the ark and it was lifted above the earth.” When Malchut rises up to ZA, and these four animals raise her, it is written, “And they brought the tabernacle to Moses.” Malchut is called “tabernacle,” and Moses, ZA, and the four animals are the ones who bring her.

The four animals are NHYM de Nukva de ZA that fell into Beria upon her diminution. As long as they do not return to her, the Nukva is unfit for Zivug with ZA because when she is devoid of NHYM of the Kelim, which are the four animals, she is devoid of GAR of lights. Also, the ascent of NHYM de Malchut is done by lowering the Malchut from Bina to her place. At that time, Ruach [also “spirit”] comes out of Nukva de ZA and elevates her four Kelim NHYM, the four animals, and then she is fit for a Zivug. It is considered that the four animals that carry the chair, Malchut, complement her for a Zivug with ZA.

When the Ruach de ZA beats the four animals, she raises the four animals below the animal, Nukva de ZA, elevating them and connecting them to her to complement the ten Sefirot of her Kelim. They raise the animal until they bring it to the upper brightness, ZA, where by complementing her ten Sefirot de Kelim, GAR clothe within her and she is fit for a Zivug with ZA. It is considered that the animals raised the Nukva de ZA. And when Malchut rises up, it is written, “And they brought the tabernacle to Moses,” since the four animals bring the tabernacle, Nukva de ZA, to Moses, ZA.

And although the ending Malchut descends from Bina to her place, the Sium [end] that is done by her is still not cancelled. This Sium, which is not cancelled, is called “a firmament.” This is the firmament that stands over the four animals. When they rise, they do not straighten up their heads because the firmament above them, the Sium of Tzimtzum Bet, which was not cancelled, causes that although they rise and connect to the Nukva de ZA, they are still not completely connected in a way that the firmament above their heads is cancelled.

341) “And they brought the tabernacle.” The animals bring Malchut. It is written, “And they carried the ark,” meaning the animals carry Malchut, “To Moses,” as it is written, “An image resembling a man atop it from above,” which is ZA. Moses is called “a man,” as it is written, “My spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is also flesh,” which is Moses, since “For he is also” has the letters of Moses. This is why the image of a man, Moses, ZA, stands on the chair, Malchut. This is also why it is written, “And above the firmament that was over their heads,” the four animals, “As the appearance of a sapphire stone, was an image of a chair,” Malchut, “And on the image of the chair, an image resembling a man atop it from above,” ZA, HaVaYaH de MA, which is Adam [man] in Gematria (45). This is because the four animals carry and bring Malchut for a Zivug with ZA.

342) “And they brought the tabernacle.” These four animals bring the Malchut when they rise to Atzilut. These are all the organs of the Guf [body], the Sefirot de ZA, all of which are in holy craving, and all are gripped to the tabernacle, Malchut, for the male and female to unite. “And they brought the tabernacle” means bringing the bride, Malchut, to the Huppah [wedding canopy], for a Zivug called Huppah. First, they must raise her and bring her to him, and then he will always come to her.

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343) All the righteous that tie the knots of unifications and daily unify the unification of the faith, Malchut, who is called “tabernacle,” raise the chair, Malchut, until they bring her to Moses, ZA. It is written about them, “And they brought the tabernacle to Moses.” And since the righteous connect her with Moses, they gain blessings from the source of life by merit of the ties of unifications that they tie, tying the unification properly. It is written, “And Moses saw all the work,” meaning the unification of everything, and then, “And Moses blessed them,” meaning they gained the blessings from the place where the degree of Moses stands—ZA. These are the sages that do all the holy work because they know how to arrange the holy work through the unifications that they do.

344) Anyone who prays a prayer and ties the unification is looked upon. If the prayer and the knot are proper, he is blessed first, from the place from which all the blessings come, as it is written, “And behold, they had done it; as the Lord had commanded, so they did.” Promptly, “And Moses blessed them.”

345) This is why it is written, “And they brought the tabernacle to Moses, ZA, the landlord, so he would see the correction of the house, Malchut. We should see that her corrections were not given to another to look and to see her—in those concealments and secrets of hers—except for Moses.

346) Therefore, “And they brought the tabernacle to Moses,” meaning the tent and all its tools. When they brought everything to Moses, they brought him organs to fix, each and every one, and to insert one organ in the next, in one another. And when they wished to correct one with the other and insert one in the other, they would not succeed. And when they brought to Moses, he would immediately succeed and each organ would come up and enter its place, as it is written, “And Moses established the tabernacle.”

347) When Moses began to erect the tabernacle and began to establish the correction of the organs, inserting them one inside the other, all the organs and all the corrections of the impure Sitra Achra were weakened. When the holy side began to grow stronger, the impure side was weakened. One strengthens and the other weakens. As long as the Kedusha is strong, all the organs of the other side are weakened. One is full and the other is desolate. This is Jerusalem and the evil Tyre. When one is full, the other is ruined. Hence, when the Kedusha strengthens, the Sitra Achra weakens.

348) For this reason, “And Moses erected the tabernacle,” to be strengthened from above, from ZA, since Moses is a Merkava for ZA, and will not receive strengthening from below. Hence, since Moses was from the illuminating mirror, ZA, he had to establish the tabernacle, so it would illuminate from him and not from another, for the moon, Malchut, must illuminate from the sun and not from another. The Assembly of Israel, Malchut, must rise up and cling to the sun, ZA.

The Law of the Burnt Offering349) It is written, “This is the law of the burnt offering. It is that which goes up on its firewood upon the altar all night.” In the next world, Bina, all will be one. The burnt offering is called “the holy of holies,” after the Dvekut [adhesion] with Bina. This is why Malchut is called “burnt offering,” for it rises and crowns in ZA and in Bina, for everything to be one, in one connection in joy.

350) Because she rises up to ZA and to Bina, it is written, “This is the law of the burnt offering” [Ola means both “burnt offering” and “rising” in Hebrew], which is a male and

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female together. “This” is the Nukva, “The law” is ZA, who is called Torah [law]. The written Torah is ZA; the oral Torah is Malchut. “Rising” [also “burnt offering”] means rising to the next world, Bina, to connect within her, since Bina is called “the holy of holies.” Also, a burnt offering is the holy of holies, as well.

351) This is why the order of the slaughtering is to the north, the left side, since the oral Torah, Malchut, rises in love only when the north side, left line, from which is her construction, awakens, as it is written, “His left under my arm, and his right shall embrace me.” At that time, she ascends in love and is crowned in the right, the light of Hesed. She connects with the middle line, which unites right and left, and illuminates to all from the holy of holies, Bina. This is out of man, by the will of the priests, the right line, by the singing of the Levites, the left line, and by the prayer of Israel, the middle line.

352) A burnt offering is the holy of holies in the upper spirit that it clothes, since three spirits are tied together in the burnt offering: 1) The bottom spirit is called “the spirit of holiness,” Malchut. 2) The spirit inside, in the middle, is called “the spirit of Hochma and Bina, ZA, who is a son to HB. It is also called “the bottom spirit” in relation to Bina, who is above him. Yet, ZA is called “a spirit coming out of the Shofar” [ram’s horn used as an instrument for making festive sounds on festivals], consisting of fire and water. 3) The uppermost spirit that is hidden in concealment, Bina. In it, all the holy spirits exist, and all the illuminating faces. For this reason, the burnt offering returns to the actual upper spirit.

353) Afterwards, the outer ones suffice with feeding on the beast that is offered, by which to take out and connect the spirit inside the Tuma’a, to bring out the holy sparks in the Sitra Achra through the fat and the oil that they offer. This is why a burnt offering is the holy of holies and is entirely for the high one. There is no food in it for the outer ones.

But the rest of the offerings come to make peace in the whole world, from several Behinot [discernments], and from the litigators in the world, to remove them and illuminate from within the desire, to mitigate them through the offerings. They are called “light [weight] holies” because they are not crowned above in the holy of holies, Bina, and are therefore light holies and are slaughtered anywhere. But a burnt offering, which is the holy of holies, is not like other sacrifices, for all its works are holy.

354) It is written, “And the priest shall put on his linen garment,” special garments for Kedusha. Linen means unique, dedicated to Kedusha. And it is written, “They are holy garments; and he shall bathe his flesh in water, and shall wear them.” The offering is the holy of holies because it ascends entirely and is crowned in the holy of holies, Bina, in one connection. Afterwards, the spirit of Tuma’a that defiles everything is removed and passes away, and does not govern nor comes near the Temple. It is removed from all the sides of Kedusha, and everything remains holy, only in Kedusha.

355) It is written, “You preserve man and beast, O Lord.” This is how it certainly turns out, a man from a man, meaning through Torah and prayer. A breast from the side of the beast is by offering to the altar. This is why it is written, “When any man of you brings an offering.” A man is one whose offering is from Torah and prayer, tying a knot above, in Adam, ZA, in HaVaYaH de MA, which is Adam in Gematria. Afterwards, it is written, “From the beast,” for offering on the altar, which rises up to Malchut, HaVaYaH de BON, which is a beast in Gematria (52). It is all in the matter of man and beast, for an offering of a man and a beast is required, since when the Creator created the world, He made man and beast.

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356) It is written, “And the fowl shall fly above the earth.” Yet, are sacrifices made of them, even burnt offerings? Of all the fowls, only turtledoves and nestlings of pigeons are offered. What is permissible in one is forbidden in the other. The red is permissible in turtledoves and forbidden in nestlings of pigeons because nestlings of pigeons are right, and red is forbidden in them, while turtledoves are left, hence red is permitted in them.

357) “And the fowl shall fly above the earth” are the Merkava, Angels Michael and Gabriel, on whom the Malchut rides. They are called “fowl.” The holy spirit, Malchut, rises in them, to rise up to ZA, and they are two, one to the right, and one to the left. “Fowl” is to the right, which is Michael, and “Fly” is to the left, and this is Gabriel. This is why these two fowls, turtledoves and nestlings of pigeons, are offered, to raise the spirit of holiness, Malchut. The left of ZA crowns and nurtures below to the left side of Malchut, and the right to the right, and a woman, Malchut, connects to her husband, ZA, to be one, and all ascend and connect together above and below, and the Creator rises alone and strengthens.

358) The poor, who offers turtledoves and nestlings of pigeons, does not give a portion to nourish the worlds, but to unite above. But above and below, each side connects to its side.

359) The tie of the burnt offering ties to the holy of holies, Bina, to illuminate. To where does the Dvekut of the will of the priests, the Levites, and the Israelis above, in the offering of the sacrifice, rise?

360) Their Dvekut rises up to Ein Sof, since every connection and unity and perfection is to hide and conceal that which is unattainable and unknown, that the desire of all desires is in him, in Ein Sof. Ein Sof is neither about to be known nor to become a Sof [end], nor become a Rosh [head/beginning]. It is also not like the first absence, Keter, which elicited Rosh and Sof. Rosh, the uppermost point, the concealed beginning of everything, stands within the thought, Hochma, since Hochma emerged from Keter, as it is written, “But wisdom, from where shall it be?” He made an end, called “the end of the matter,” Malchut, the end of all the lights. But there, in Ein Sof, there is no end.

361) There are no desires in Ein Sof, nor are there lights or candles, which are lights of Gevura. All the candles and lights in Atzilut depend on Ein Sof, to exist in them. However, it is unattainable. One who is known and unknown, in whom there is knowing but is unknown, is the highest and most concealed desire, called Ein [absence/null] the Sefira Keter. But in Ein Sof, not a word can be said, for there is zero attainment in it.

362) When the uppermost point, Hochma, and the next world, Bina, ascend in their illumination, they know only scent, VAK of illumination of Hochma, and not GAR, as one who smells a fragrance and is perfumed. It is not considered contentment, called “a fragrance,” for it is written, “And I will not smell the savor of your sweet odors.” Thus, “smell” and “fragrance” are two separate things, since a fragrance means the scent of the desire, all those desires of prayer, the desire of singing, and the desire of the priest, which are Adam. Then they all become one will, called “a fragrance,” which means a desire. Then everything becomes connected and illuminates together as it should.

363) By that, the Sitra Achra is given to the hand of the priest, as it is written, “Command Aaron and his sons saying, ‘This is the law of the burnt offering.’” There is no commandment except for idol-worship, Sitra Achra, and here he was allowed to burn the evil thought and remove it from the Kedusha with this desire, which rises up, and with this smoke, and with the burning fats, so they would be removed from the holy. That commandment is in their possession to separate it from the holy through the offering.

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It is written, “Command the children of Israel.” Here, too, the meaning of the word “command” relates to the Sitra Achra, for the Sitra Achra was under their authority, for as long as Israel do their Master’s will, the Sitra Achra cannot govern them.

364) This text comes to show and to crown the holy spirit, Malchut, above, and to separate the spirit of Tuma’a and bring it down—the Israelis by will and prayer, and the priests by the work of offering the sacrifice—each according to what befits him.

365) This verse proves what is written about them, “Command Aaron and his sons saying.” “Command” is idol-worship, which is the spirit of Tuma’a. “Saying” is a woman, called “The fear of the Lord,” Malchut. It is all to crown the Malchut and lower the Sitra Achra. The priest is poised to correct everything in man and in beast. Happy are the righteous in this world and in the next world, for they know the ways of Torah, and walk in it in the path of truth. It is written about them, “Lord, by these they will live.” “By these” are the ways of Torah. “Will live” means that they will exist in this world and in the next world.

366) “This is the law of the burnt offering.” “This is the law” is the Assembly of Israel, Malchut. The burnt offering rises and crowns up above to connect up to the place called “the holy of holies,” Bina.

367) “This is the law” is the Assembly of Israel, Malchut. “The burnt offering” is an evil thought that rises over man’s desire to deflect him from the path of truth. It ascends and slanders a person, and must be burned in fire to not let it multiply.

368) This is why it is written, “On its firewood upon the altar all night.” “Night” is the Assembly of Israel, Malchut, which comes to purify a man from that desire. “On its firewood,” since the river of fire is a place to burn all those who are unsustainable, who are flawed by the Sitra Achra, for they are taken through the burning fire and their governance is removed from the world. So he would not rule, it must be “On its firewood upon the altar all night,” and then he surrenders and does not govern.

369) Therefore, when the Sitra Achra surrenders, the Assembly of Israel, the spirit of holiness, Malchut, rises up and is crowned above, since her ascent is when that other force surrenders and parts from her. For this reason, a sacrifice is needed, to separate that side from the spirit of holiness, Malchut, and to give it a portion so that the spirit of holiness would rise up.

And Moses Established the Tabernacle370) When the Temple was built and made, the Sitra Achra surrendered and parted from the world. When he parted from the world, and the tabernacle was built by Moses, it was established above and below, as it is written, “And Moses established the tabernacle,” Malchut. “Established,” so it would rise up. What was low, he erected, as though lifting one who was fallen, as it is written, “In the future, I will raise up the fallen Sukkah [Tabernacles Feast booth] of David.”

371) It is written, “She has fallen, she will not rise again—the virgin of Israel.” “She will not rise again,” but she did rise at another time; she rose by herself, the Creator did not raise her. In the exile in Egypt, the Creator raised her, working several miracles to raise her. In the exile in Babylon, the Creator did not raise her, as He did not work miracles for them, which caused the sin. Rather, Malchut rose by herself and the children of the exile went up to Jerusalem as though they had no redemption and the craving of the Creator was not on them, for it caused the sin of foreign women.

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372) Hence, the Creator did not establish the Assembly of Israel or work miracles and mighty deeds for her as it should be at the time they returned from Babylon. But of the future, it is written, “She will not rise again,” meaning she will not rise again by herself, as after the exile in Babylon. Rather, the Creator will raise her, as it is written, “I will raise the fallen Sukkah of David.” It is also write, “And David, their king, which I will rise up for them.” And this is why it is written here, “And Moses established the tabernacle,” when the Creator established the tabernacle, for Moses is a Merkava for ZA. And as Moses established the tabernacle below, the Creator established the tabernacle, Malchut, above.

373) When Moses established the tabernacle, another tabernacle was established along with it, Malchut. And the upper tabernacle, Bina, establishes and supports everything. This is so because the upper tabernacle is hidden and concealed above, and the tabernacle of Malchut was established over the tabernacle below, which Moses did, and stands on it through the upper tabernacle, Bina. As the tabernacle below was established by Moses, Malchut was established by the degree of Moses, ZA, above, as it is written, “And Moses established the tabernacle. Et [the] indicates that two tabernacles were established in Moses: the tabernacle below, and the tabernacle above, Malchut, who was also established by the degree of Moses, ZA.

374) What is, “And Moses established”? After all, not everything was corrected yet, since afterwards it is written, “And [Moses] placed its bases,” and there is establishing only after everything has been completed, and one organ went into another. Thus, what is, “And [Moses] established”? Moses established the tabernacle in three sides. It is written, “And Moses established the tabernacle,” the middle line, which is called Moses. “And [Moses] placed its bases” is the left line, for “Its bases” is Din, which is applied on the left. “And [Moses] set up its boards” is the right line. Moses erected the tabernacle in these three sides, the tabernacle, Malchut, rose, and the Sitra Achra surrendered. Hence, when Moses erected that side of Kedusha, the other side, of Tuma’a, surrendered. This is why Moses established it and none other.

375) “And [Moses] placed its bases.” At that time, SAM was shaken off his place, along with 40 Merkavot that were with him, and he fled 400 parasangs into the concealment of the hole in the dust. Moses brought those bases, and that side strengthened. Then those bases of the Sitra Achra fell and grew weaker.

There is disclosure of Hochma only when the Dinim of the left line appear. These are the Dinim of the wicked, who cling to the left line without right and extend the Hochma from above downward, as do SAM and the whole side of Tuma’a. The correction of these Dinim, so they would be revealed, is the bases that Moses placed. Hence, when Moses placed the bases, SAM and his entire sect fled for fear of those Dinim, for they no longer had the strength to incite people to clinging only to the left line, as is their way, due to the punishments and the Dinim that appeared to those wicked.

The 40 Merkavot with SAM are his HG TM, each of which comprises 10, extending from the left line without right. And the 400 parasangs is the boundary of Kedusha, which are HB TM from Bina, each of which comprises 100.

376) “On that day, I will raise up the fallen Sukkah of David.” On that day,” in the day when the Creator executes Din in the world and commands the wicked in the world according to their deeds. It is so because the Assembly of Israel will not rise from the dust, illumination of Hochma, while those wicked are standing in the world. First it was written, “All the sinners of My people shall die by the sword, who say, ‘The evil shall not overtake nor confront us,’”

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meaning when their Dinim and punishments appear. And then it is written, “On that day, I will raise up the fallen Sukkah of David,” through illumination of Hochma, called “raising,” for by the disclosure of the Dinim of the wicked, the illumination of Hochma appears.

377) It is written, “All the sinners of My people shall die by the sword,” for then the breakage that they caused in Israel through the illumination of Hochma will be corrected. This is why it is written, “And [I will] close up its breaches, and I will raise up its ruins,” the ruins of David’s Sukkah, for when the wicked Malchut strengthens in the world, the holy Malchut weakens, and David’s Sukkah destroys its construction. This is why it is written, “And I will raise up its ruins.”

378) When the Tuma’a strengthens, the Kedusha weakens. One is full and one is desolate. This is why until that day, the wicked Malchut will strengthen, and on that day, the Creator will strengthen and establish her into the holy Malchut. This is why it is written, “And I will raise up its ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old,” as it is written, “And the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun.”

379) “And Moses established the tabernacle.” With what did he establish it? It is written, “And [Moses] placed its bases,” placing the bases under the boards, on which he would erect, and in which he would turn those hinges of the openings, for these bases beneath them are the foundation and the sustenance on which to turn. It writes “placed” because he fortified and established them by his strength. At that time, the bases of the Sitra Achra were removed.

Hinges are stakes, since he calls two stakes for one board “two hinges.” He calls the boards “openings,” as they are openings for illumination of Hochma from the Malchut, and it is known that illumination of Hochma appears by turning and rolling, when the turning is done inside the stakes, which are Dinim of the left line. By disclosing them, the Hochma appears.

380) It is written, “Remember, O Lord, against the children of Edom the day of Jerusalem; who said, ‘Raze it, raze it down to its foundation.’” For this reason, the Creator is destined to build the foundations of Jerusalem from other foundations, which will rule over everyone. These are sapphires, as it is written, “And I will establish you in sapphires.” These are strong and superior foundations and bases, in which there is no weakness, as in the first, since the rest of the nations could govern the first stones in those foundations because there is no upper illumination in them, as there should be, since their illumination is not theirs, but extends to them from Bina. However, these will illuminate from a high illumination, for they will illuminate because of themselves and will not need the association of Bina, and the illumination sinks into the depths, the Masachim, so the nations will not be able to govern them. These are the sapphires that will illuminate above and below, since at that time, high illumination will be added above and below.

381) The first foundations, which were used prior to the end of correction, will not be cancelled, for it is written, “Behold, I will set your stones in Puch.” “Set,” to correct what is broken. “In Puch,” as it is written, “And she placed Puch in her eyes.” There are stones called Puch, whose color is black, and women paint their eyes with them. This was given to know to the harvesters of the field—those who have already been rewarded with correcting all the corrections of the field, which is Malchut, and are already harvesting the crops of the field, enjoying its fruit.

382) The rest of the nations did not rule over the stones of the bases of Zion and Jerusalem. They did not burn them, nor were they burned, but all were hidden. The Creator hid them. All those bases of the holy house were concealed, and not even one of them was lost. When the

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Creator reestablishes Jerusalem in its place, the bases of the first stones will return to their places, and no other eye will rule them to see them, except when a person makes his eyes blue with that Puch, and fills his eyes with it. Then he will see all the stones and all the bases of Jerusalem, that they are corrected in their places, and that the rest of the nations did not govern them. And all the other precious stones, and all the stone buildings will be standing erect.

The Masach de Malchut in herself is harsh Din, unfit for extending lights for Israel. Rather, its entire correction is through connection with Bina. And since for herself, she is unfit for lights, when Israel corrupted their works and the connection of Bina was cancelled, the nations could rule over her Masach, by which the house was ruined and Divinity exiled. But in the future, when Malchut herself is corrected, it will appear in retrospect that even prior to the correction, there was no Din and grip for the outer ones in her at all, as it is written, “The stone which the builders loathed has become the cornerstone.”

Then they are rewarded with the end of correction and with seeing it, by putting Puch in his eyes, since the left line, where the Hochma appears, are the eyes. However, as long as there is no Hassadim in them, there is no vision in these eyes, as it is written, “They have eyes, yet will not see,” written about those who cling to that left without right. But through the Masach de Hirik in the middle line, which unites the left with the right, the eyes of the left clothe in Hassadim and obtain the vision. Man’ula, included in the Masach de Hirik, is called Puch, as it corrects and adorns the eyes.

It was said, “And no other eye will rule them to see them,” for although they returned to their place and it became apparent that there is no Din in them at all, the eye will not be able to govern and to see it, except when a man makes his eyes blue with that Puch. Only the righteous receive the illumination of the Masach de Hirik in the middle line, which is the Puch that corrects and adorns the eyes. He fills his eyes with it, complements all the Zivugim that can emerge on the Masach de Hirik, called Puch, and then he will be rewarded with seeing the Masach in Malchut herself, and all the degrees and structures that emerged on that Masach. And he will see that the nations never ruled, but that she had been concealed.

383) At that time, it is written, “For they shall see, eye to eye, when the Lord returns to Zion.” What is “When the Lord returns”? When the rest of the nations governed her, the Creator raised her. But at that time, He will bring her back to her place, as it is written, “When the Lord returns to Zion,” when He returns her to her place.

384) Anything that is hidden from the eye and the eye was not given permission to govern, when the left is without right, the eye cannot rule it, except for one who places blue in his eye, meaning Puch. This is why it is written, “Behold, I will set your stones in Puch.” All those stones from before the correction will exist in their places, and will be bases as before, and the bases of a sapphire will be in another place, around the width and the length, as it is written, “And I will establish you in sapphires.”

385) When the Creator establishes His house, Malchut, it is written about that time, “Death will be swallowed up forever.” As the angel of death swallowed up the people of the world, so will the angel of death be swallowed.

386) And it will not be swallowed for a set time, as Israel were in exile for a set time. Rather, it is written, “Forever,” for all generations.

387) At that time the Creator will raise the Assembly of Israel, Malchut, and will establish the bases and the sills, and all the ceilings of the house in their correction forever because the

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Sitra Achra will be swallowed up, and will never rise again. Then it is written, “And He will remove the disgrace of His people from all the earth; for the Lord has spoken.”

388) “And Moses established the tabernacle.” When the bases have been set up and placed in their places, at that time the bases in the place of the Sitra Achra are weakened and removed. This is why it is written, “And [Moses] placed its bases.”

389) When Moses saw wicked SAM before him, heading toward him to slander him, Moses attacked him and tied him before him. He erected the tabernacle and placed its bases, as it is written, “And [Moses] placed its bases.” He placed them strongly, for no other person could govern SAM and place the bases in their place like Moses, since Moses established them with great force.

390) The day when Moses began to establish the tabernacle was the first of Nissan [the 7 th

month in the Hebrew calendar], when the force of the Sitra Achra was in the world. It is so because we learn that in the days of Nissan, even when the head of the ox is in the crib, rise up for an ascent and drop the ladder behind you so it does not climb after you to harm you. But on Nissan, Moses began to erect the tabernacle. He saw SAM walking around him to confuse him, and Moses overcame him. And then, “And [Moses] placed its bases.” He started and placed the bases below, and the Creator started and placed the bases above, one opposite the other.

391) On the day when the tabernacle below was established, a holy tabernacle was established above, Malchut. The upper tabernacle, which is hidden and concealed, Bina, elicited lights to every direction, and the worlds illuminated.

392) There are three tabernacles in the writing. It is written, “And on the day that the tabernacle was established, the cloud covered the tabernacle for the tent of the testimony ... and in the evening, there was an appearance of fire on the tabernacle, until morning.” There are three tabernacles here. And why is it called “tabernacle” and not “House”?

393) The Creator chose Israel for His lot and portion, and brought them near Him. He made of them certain degrees in this world, the patriarchs, such as above, to perfect all the worlds as one, above and below, as it is written, “The heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool,” to perfect above and below into being one.

394) “The heaven is My throne” is the firmament where Jacob is found, a high form of the upper, holy throne, HGT de ZA. “The earth is My footstool” is the firmament where King David is found, Malchut, to enjoy the brightness of the illuminating mirror, ZA. Because he wished to expand further below the upper throne, he said, “My footstool,” Malchut. It is written, “Where is the house that you will build for Me.” This is the Temple. And “Where is My resting place” is the house of the holy of holies below.

395) As long as Israel were walking in the desert, they had a tabernacle, until they arrived at Shiloh and the tabernacle was there. That tabernacle is to extend one in the other and to insert one in the other, to unite one in the other in order to illuminate. However, it is not for rest, for there is no rest except when the Temple was built in the days of King Solomon, since then it is rest above and below, as there is the power of rest, and not traveling from place to place like the tabernacle.

396) This is why there is a tabernacle and there is a house, as it is written, “And I will set My tabernacle among you, and My soul shall not abhor you.” “My tabernacle” means the tabernacles of the Creator, so they would be among Israel, for it is written, “And My soul

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shall not abhor you.” Thus, the illumination is not so great because He conditioned it on the extent to which “My soul does not abhor you.”

397) What is the difference between a tabernacle and the Temple? A tabernacle is like a king who comes to his loved one and did not bring all his treasures with him, to not be overwhelming, so he comes to him in small hosts. A house is when he brings with him all his hosts and all his multitudes to dwell in that house. The Temple is an abode for everlasting rest, in all the Merkavot, the forms, and the deeds, to compose the deeds below such as above. A tabernacle is in small forms, in lesser works, traveling from place to place, and all is as above.

398) When the Creator commanded the tabernacle to Moses, he could not perceive it until the Creator showed him everything in its form, every single thing. He showed it with white fire, black, red, and green, opposite HG TM, as it is written, “And see and make them after their pattern that is being shown to you in the mountain.” Yet, it was difficult for Moses to grasp them.

399) Even though He showed it to him clearly and explicitly, Moses did not want to do them. Can it be that he did not know how to do, or that he did not have the wisdom? Although Bezalel and Oholiab and all the others did not see the forms as did Moses, it is written, “And Moses saw all the work, and, behold, they had done it.” If those who did see did so, Moses, who saw all the forms on the mountain certainly knew how to make them. However, although Moses removed himself from the work of the tabernacle, everything was in his hands, and everything was done by him, and he is named after it. This is why it is written, “And see and make.”

400) Moses removed himself from the work of the tabernacle and gave his place to another because he wished to reward others, until the Creator told him, “See, I have called by name Bezalel ... and Oholiab with him.” And it is written, “And Bezalel and Oholiab shall work, and every wisehearted man.” And if that glory was Moses’, that he would make the tabernacle, it will always be in him. So why did the Creator later command, “And Bezalel and Oholiab shall work”? This means that Moses removed himself from the work, that he wished to reward others.

401) And yet, since he commanded, and it was done on his command, it is considered that he did everything. All the work stands only at the end of the work, and is named after the one who finished it. Hence, “And Moses established the tabernacle,” for all those wisehearted wished to establish it but it did not stand, because of Moses’ glory, until Moses came and erected it. And since he finished the work, it is named after him.

Though I Have Fallen, I Shall Rise402) It is written, “Do not rejoice over me, my enemy. Though I have fallen, I shall rise.” “My enemy” is the wicked Malchut, the enemy of the holy Malchut. This verse was said by the Assembly of Israel, the holy Malchut. “Do not rejoice over me, my enemy. Though I have fallen, I shall rise.” But when the other, wicked Malchut, falls, she will never rise again. But as for the Assembly of Israel, even if she falls, she will rise, and she has risen many times, as it is written, “Though I have fallen, I shall rise.”

403) Several times did the Assembly of Israel fall in exile, dwelling among those enemies, and the rest of the idol-worshipping nations rose up against Israel to obliterate them from the world, as it is written, “They devise a cunning secret against Your people.” It is also written,

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“For they have conspired together with one heart.” “They said, ‘Come, and let us wipe them out as a nation.’” And yet, even though the rest of the nations rose up against them, the Creator did not leave them in their hands, and if they fell, they rose, as it is written, “Though I have fallen, I shall rise,” since the Creator always raises her.

404) When the Creator raises the Assembly of Israel, Malchut, from the dust of exile, and she departs from it, she will say, “Do not rejoice over me, my enemy. Though I have fallen, I shall rise.” Though I have fallen in exile and my children were enslaved, I have risen at this time. For this reason, when Moses brought Israel out of Egypt, when the Creator worked all those miracles and mighty deeds for them, then, “And Moses established the tabernacle,” since by Moses, ZA, the tabernacle—Malchut—was erected every time.

When They Went, They Went405) “When they went, they went, and when they stood, they stood.” “When they went”—the animals, when the animals go, the Ophanim will go. Hence, “When they went, they went, and when they stood, they stood,” since all the journeys of the Ophanim are in the journeys of the animals. Their existence is not in their own place, but depends entirely on the animals. The animals and the Ophanim go together.

406) 24 lintels—the hollows of the openings of the upper guards—are within a lintel that is on the east. That opening is guarded by 24 guards, hidden within the power of the flame that surrounds and encircles inside the lintel on the east. A lintel means a hollow.

407) There are 24 bases under them, and 24 pillars stand on the bases. Those are the ones who always stand and never fly in the air like the others. They are called “standing,” as it is written, “And I will give you access among these that stand.” Those are the pillars that stand on those bases, turning in them, to exist in their places.

The four animals from Chazeh de ZA and above have 12 Panim [face/faces] to them. This is because although there are Panim of a man in each, still, all her Malchuts from Chazeh and above are considered HGT de Malchut: lion, ox, and eagle. Malchut herself, from Chazeh down, is missing there. Thus, there are four animals—ox, eagle, lion, and man—and in each there are only HGT, from Chazeh and above: lion, ox, and eagle, which are 12 Panim. However, the same 12 Behinot exist from Chazeh and below, as well, though they are only ox, eagle, lion, and man that have an outline of a man’s face, which is the Nun of SHANAN [acronym for Shor (ox), Nesher (eagle), Arieh (lion), and Nun should have been Adam (man)], and not the actual Panim of a man. These are the 12 in Malchut, and they are called Ophanim.

Those two times 12 in ZA and in Malchut are included in one another, becoming 24. Hence, there are 24 Behinot in ZA, and 24 Behinot in Malchut, animals and Ophanim in ZA, and animals and Ophanim in Malchut. Also, only the animals in ZA consist of 24, and only the Ophanim consist of 24. It is likewise with the animals and Ophanim in Malchut. Those animals and Ophanim are also called “Pillars and bases,” where pillars are animals, and the bases are Ophanim. They are also called “lintels and guards,” where lintels are bases and Ophanim, and guards are pillars and animals. It is so because the lintels are hollows and the guards are in them, like the pillar stakes inside the hollows of the bases.

It was said, 24 lintels—the hollows of the openings of the upper guards—are within a lintel that is on the east,” in ZA, who is the east. It is so because the lintel consists of HG TM, in each of which are HGT, which are 12. When included with the 12 in Malchut, they are 24. It was said, “That opening is guarded by 24 guards, hidden within the power of the flame that

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surrounds and encircles inside the lintel on the east.” The lintel is bases, the forces of Din that appear on the left line. This is why it calls it here “The power of the flame,” for the guards, the pillars, are hidden from ZA in the flame on the east. This is why he explained the 24 pillars and 24 bases of ZA, and now he explains the 24 pillars and 24 bases of Malchut.

Below the pillars and the bases of ZA there are also 24 bases, and 24 pillars stand on the bases, just as in ZA, since they are included in one another. But the difference is that the pillars and bases of ZA, which are the lintels and the guards, fly in the air—flying and traveling by the order of three lines in three places: in the entrance of the Yod in the Ohr [light] instead of the Holam, making it Avir [air], and in the exit of the Yod from the Avir in the place of the Shuruk. But the pillars and bases of Malchut do not fly in the air because Malchut does not do any work, but receives the three lines in ZA. Hence, they are at rest in her, standing.

Yet, this does not mean that the pillars and the bases, the animals and the Ophanim in Malchut are always standing in her. Rather, there are two states in Malchut:

1) Malchut in VAK, when HGT NHY de ZA illuminate in her. At that time her animals and Ophanim, which are animals and Ophanim de ZA, are regarded as flying in the air as in ZA.

2) Malchut in the state of the seventh day, when she obtains NHY de Kelim and GAR of lights until she dresses upper Ima. At that time she illuminates from upper Ima by herself, and her pillars and bases are at rest, not flying in the air like the pillars and bases of ZA. Here he is speaking of the second state of ZA.

The distinction between lintels and guards explains the difference between the tabernacle that Moses, ZA, did, and the Temple that Solomon, Malchut, built. The tabernacle is VAK de Malchut, and Moses built it with his VAK, HGT NHY de ZA. This is why the pillars and the bases in the tabernacle are not at rest, but are taken apart in each journey and reassembled at each stop, as do the animals and the Ophanim of ZA, who travel from place to place. But the Temple that Solomon built was in GAR, as on the Sabbath, when her pillars and bases stand in everlasting rest, since then her own Behina illuminated in a clothing for upper Ima. At that time, Solomon, Malchut, is called “a man of rest.”

408) When those pillars stand in their places, all the rulers that stand on them, the guards in ZA, hover and fly throughout the world and watch with the eyes. Those who listen to the voices raise words above, as it is written, “For a bird of the sky will carry the sound.” For this reason, those bases always exist. They divide into seeing, meaning Hochma, and hearing a sound, which is Hassadim. Some of them are dominated by Hassadim, and some are dominated by the Hochma.

409) It is written, “When they went, they went,” meaning when the animals went. “And when they were lifted up from the earth, the Ophanim were lifted up beside them.” As the animals journey and rise, so do the Ophanim. “For the spirit of the animal is in the Ophanim,” meaning the spirit of holiness, Malchut, blowing and striking all the Ophanim so they will go. It follows that anyone who is at a high degree carries the one who carries him. The ark carried those who carried it, and here too, the animals were carrying the Ophanim.

410) Why is it written, “The spirit of the animal was in the Ophanim, and not “The spirit of the animals”? And where does it imply that the animals were carrying the Ophanim? Also, animal means four animals, since it is on the right side and on the left side, on the front side, and in the rear. That is, four Sefirot HG TM in the animals, which are right, left, front, and

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back, considered four animals. This is why it is an animal, and this is the four animals, which are the same.

411) It is written, “This is the animal that I saw beneath the God of Israel by the river Chebar.” This is the squared animal to the four sides of the world, HG TM, and it is the chair, Malchut, for the form of man, ZA, who is HaVaYaH filled with Alephs, as it is written, “And on the image of the chair, an image resembling a man atop it from above.” It is all for the high, holy, and hidden degree, called “the God of Israel,” Bina. “This is the animal that I saw,” meaning Malchut, on which ZA, man, was riding, and both under the God of Israel, Bina.

412) “This is the animal,” the animal below, Malchut, standing under all the upper, holy animals, HGTM de ZA, man, since there are superior animals one atop the other; the upper animals of ZA atop the animals of Malchut. The throne under the God of Israel is the form of Jacob, ZA, a throne for Bina, who is called “the God of Israel.” The lower throne, under ZA, is the form of David, Malchut, squared to the four sides of the world. For this reason, a spirit comes out from above, from Bina, emerging and drawn from degree to degree, from Bina to ZA, and from ZA to Malchut until it strikes those lower ones below, in BYA. That spirit leads everything and corrects the corrections of everything to be corrected.

413) In that very way it was established below in the tabernacle. It is written above, “For the spirit of the animal was in the Ophanim.” And it is written, “Wherever the spirit was about to go, they would go.” And below it is written, “And Moses established the tabernacle, becoming a spirit for the degree below, the tabernacle, in the form of the upper spirit. It is written about it, “This is the animal that I saw beneath the God of Israel,” as from this animal, a spirit comes out to correct everything. Moses is the animal that gives the spirit below in the tabernacle, to correct everything. This is why it is written, “And arose,” “And gave,” “And placed,” for in all there is the spirit to correct everything.

The Tabernacle and the Temple414) In the beginning, in the tabernacle that Moses made, he established it in the upper degree that he stood in—the degree of ZA. In the Temple that Solomon made, he established it in the river that comes out of Eden, which is domestic peace, Yesod, and is the contentment of the house, Malchut. Hence, in the tabernacle there is proximity of fondness in the Guf [body], Tifferet, Moses’ degree, in which there is proximity of fondness and not of rest. This is why the tabernacle would be taken along on journeys. When Solomon came and established the Temple, it was established in the fondness of rest. This is why it is written about Solomon, “He will be a man of rest.”

Moses established the tabernacle in VAK, HGT NHY of lights and HBD HGT de Kelim. This is why it is considered that the correction is from ZA, from his Tifferet, and not from his Yesod, since Malchut, the tabernacle, lacks NHY de Kelim. This is why the tabernacle was taken on journeys, like the animals and the Ophanim of ZA. But in Solomon’s days, the NHY de Kelim de Malchut were already corrected, hence she received from Yesod de ZA, from the river that comes out of Eden, and then her own essence was revealed—that her animals and Ophanim are at rest.

415) This is why Moses erected in the degree of Tifferet, and Solomon erected in the degree of Yesod. And the form of one is in the other—the form of Tifferet in Yesod, as it is written, “These are the generations of Jacob Joseph,” for the form of Jacob, Tifferet, is similar to the form of Joseph, Yesod.

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416) The beginning that Moses began to correct in the place of Kedusha is that he established the rising of the point that stands in the middle, Malchut, which was dark and sunken in its place, unseen, and does not illuminate at all. First, he established that point which sunk in its place, and then corrected all the others, which are the structure of that point.

417) Had that point, Malchut, not been corrected first, all that expanded from her would have been unable to be corrected. And once that point had been established and illuminated, the rest of the corrections were corrected, and it settled in its place. This is why it is first written, “And Moses established the tabernacle,” which is the point that was dark and sunken in its place, and then, “And placed its bases,” which are the bases from here and from here, from all the sides of the tabernacle. They added up to 100, and all were divided to their places to the sides of the tabernacle, as it is written, “One hundred bases for the hundred talents, a talent for a base.”

418) Rising is not written in regard to those bases, but “And placed,” because it is placing, on which to put the boards, since there are lower and higher one atop the other. This is why “placing” is written in regard to them.

419) When that point was established, the other side sank. However, it was not at all annihilated. But in the future, it will be obliterated from the world. And here this was erected, and that one sank—the Sitra Achra.

420) Then the side of Kedusha began to strengthen. And when those bases were placed, all the bases of the Sitra Achra sank and entered the hole of the great deep, for because the side of upper Kedusha rose, and its portion ascended, the other side sank and went into the hole of the deep, as when one rises, the other sinks.

421) And had Israel not sinned, the Sitra Achra would have been unable to rule the world. Afterwards they sinned, and also drew over them the Sitra Achra as before. Since that day, there has been no counsel against the Sitra Achra, except to give her a portion of everything—of the sacrifices, the oils, and the offerings. This is why the offering is burned in the fire entirely, to surrender that side and to raise the side of Kedusha. And because Moses established the place of Kedusha, the place of Tuma’a sank.

422) Moses erected the side of Kedusha. The other side, of Tuma’a, sank. He placed the bases on the side of Kedusha, and the side of Tuma’a weakened. He placed the boards on the side of Kedusha, and the other side, of Tuma’a, surrendered. Afterwards, “And put in its bars.”

423) Afterwards it is written “established” again so that the beginning and the end will be in establishing. This is why he begins with establishing and ends with establishing, for establishing is required in both, in the beginning and in the end, since the establishing in the beginning is for the Sitra Achra to weaken. In the end, it is establishing to the side of Kedusha, to exist and to rise up, to be one connection as it should. This is so because each time the Kedusha governs and rises, the Tuma’a is lowered and descends.

Rising means GAR. There are two kinds of establishing for Malchut: 1) when she was in the two great lights; 2) after she diminished and was rebuilt from the Chazeh and below.

This is why it writes “established” twice: the first establishing is considered GAR de VAK, and the second establishing was not yet in the tabernacle in actual GAR, but VAK de GAR.

The first establishing—the establishing in the two great lights—came to weaken the Sitra Achra, for she could not exist in that state. It is establishing to the side of Kedusha, to exist

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and to rise up, which is the second establishing, when she was rebuilt in order to rise up to ZA and to cling to him, for then she can exist.

Six Degrees of the Sitra Achra424) The beginning of the point under the degrees of the Sitra Achra, being Malchut de Sitra Achra, is at the top of the degrees of the Sitra Achra, outside the Kedusha. It is the Rosh of the male of the Sitra Achra, who is riding a camel, meaning SAM that is riding a camel. This is a Rosh outside the Kedusha, from one mingling, to spread in the dark, mixing smoke with darkness and they expand together.

The Dinim are not completed all at once, in the very beginning of their disclosure. Rather, they must be disclosed many times until they obtain the strength to act and to punish. The beginning of the disclosure of the Dinim in Malchut de Sitra Achra is at the Rosh of the male of the Sitra Achra. They are completed in Malchut de Sitra Achra, at the end of the degrees.

425) It is so because when the smoke comes out of strong irritation, the smoke spreads and follows irritation by irritation, one atop the other, and one riding the other in an appearance of male and female so that all will be strong irritation.

All the punishments and the Dinim extend from the left line of Kedusha prior to connecting to the right. Those that cling to it are first punished with darkness, when their lights turn into darkness, then the Malchut of the harsh Midat ha Din [quality of judgment] appears on them, as it is written, “Sin crouches at the door.” The first punishment is called male Dinim, and the second is called female Dinim. When those two punishments are mixed together, they are called “smoke” because the fire—female Dinim—is mixed with the darkness, like the smoke, which is fire and darkens because the darkness is mingled in it.

He explains what is strong irritation. It was said, “The smoke spreads and follows irritation by irritation.” The first irritation—on those that cling to the left—brings darkness upon them. The second irritation brings upon them the disclosure of Malchut of Midat ha Din. One atop the other means that they are close to one another, as it is written, “Sin crouches at the door.” One rides over and rules over the other—the darkness ruling over the Dinim de Malchut de Midat ha Din, as they are in an appearance of male and female, where the darkness is considered male Dinim, and Midat ha Din in Malchut is the female Dinim. For this reason, the male dominates the female, so that everything will be strong irritation, meaning that the two irritations conjoin and become one strong Din, called “smoke.”

426) When the smoke begins to spread, it presses from within the irritation, to spread by pressing a single point. Afterwards the smoke of irritation spreads diagonally, like a crooked snake, to harm.

There are two kinds of female Dinim: 1) Malchut de Midat ha Din, which is not mitigated in Bina, 2) Malchut that is mitigated in Bina. In the beginning of the expansion of the smoke in the two punishments—male Dinim and female Dinim—the female Dinim were from the point of Malchut de Midat ha Din. Afterwards it expanded in Dinim that extend from the Malchut that is mitigated in Bina, who is called “diagonal.” Likewise, the serpent clings to these Dinim of Malchut that is mitigated in Bina so it can rise and grip to Bina, like a cunning snake, to harm, for so is the way of the cunning serpent.

427) The Rosh that comes out to expand is the Rosh of the male de Sitra Achra, the degree of darkness, male Dinim. He ascends and descends, walks, roams, and rests in his place. He finds no place to settle until the degree is about to settle, by its conjoining with the smoke that

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comes out of the irritation. At that time he is called “a shadow,” a mixture of darkness. He is a shadow on another place, called “death,” for the Dinim in him are still not revealed at all. Rather, he is their beginning, and they appear as his Nukva, who is called “death.” When the two unite, they are called “Shadow of death,” which are two conjoined degrees.

428) A shadow is a beginning of the lower point of the Sitra Achra from without, the beginning of his Nukva. A shadow is darkness that is remote from the holy point that stands in the middle, the Malchut of Kedusha, due to the Dinim that he received from the smoke, the female Dinim in the shadow. It is a point that neither stands nor is visible, nor is it registered in the colors. It is only a beginning, and no Din is apparent in it at all. An expansion expands from it, outward and downward, and the point itself sank and is neither seen nor registered.

429) That point expanded down to the right and to the left. It expanded in its middle, inside the darkness, HGT de Sitra Achra, opposite 1,100. Two pillars are engraved on each side, opposite NH. The darkness expands inside the black color, and it is not black. The female Dinim in it, which are mingled with darkness, called “black color,” but it is not yet black, since it has no color existing in it. There are darknesses that operated in Egypt in the expansion of the darkness, as it is written, “They did not see one another, nor did anyone rise from his place for three days,” and as it is written, “A darkness which may be felt.”

In the darkness of Egypt there was a mixture of male Dinim and female Dinim. From the side of the male Dinim, where there is GAR, it is written, “They did not see one another,” since due to the Dinim of the darkness, they could not see. From the side of the female Dinim, which diminish the GAR, it is written, “Nor did anyone rise from his place,” as rising means GAR. It is also written, “A darkness that could be felt,” which means that there is substance to the darkness—the female Dinim in it. All those are expansion that comes from the shadow.

It was said, “Opposite 1,100,” implying the matter of the 11, that the Sitra Achra is lacking from a Partzuf of 12, which is a male of Keter. It is so because all who add, subtract, adding an Ayin to the Shtei Esreh [12], making them 11 [Ashtei Esreh], as it is written, “11 curtains of goat hair,” and each consists of 100, which are 1,100.

430) This expansion expands in several kinds that differ from one another. Within the expansion, a light comes out, colored in red gold. That light expanded and covered the darkness in his Rosh, meaning it mingled with the darkness. For this reason, it is gold in which darkness is included.

This explains another order of HGT NHY of the male of the Sitra Achra, where first the gold came out in him—Gevura, left—sucking out illumination of Hochma from the left of the Nukva, and then the gold was included in the dark and mingled with it, and his Gevura ended. This is the rule that all of his Sefirot are regarded as darkness.

431) That darkness in Gevura expanded to the right and to the left. From those two sides, a single color—that of silver—came out, Hesed in it, which does not illuminate. That silver color expanded and covered the darkness, mingling with it, and the darkness and silver mingled in one another, and it descended in order to be corrected for its Hesed.

Hesed de Sitra Achra differs from the Sefira Hesed de Kedusha, called “silver,” in that the Sefira Hesed de Kedusha is all right, but Hesed de ZA consists of left, as well, for the core of the Sitra Achra is left. The darkness expanded first to the right and to the left, and from the mingling of both, silver came out, Hesed de Sitra Achra. This is why it is silver that does not illuminate, for there is no illumination of Hassadim in it, as it is included with left and there is

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no illumination of Hochma in it, as it is included with the right. And once it was included and mingled with the darkness, it was established as Hesed de Sitra Achra.

432) The darkness expanded from Hesed, the silver color, becoming two darknesses—on the right and on the left—standing at the beginning of the black. From there, a bronze color expanded—Tifferet de Sitra Achra.

Tifferet de Sitra Achra came out from the right and from the left like Tifferet de Kedusha. It became two darknesses—on the right and on the left—standing at the beginning of the black. From there, a bronze color expanded, since Tifferet de Sitra Achra was made of two darknesses, right and left. The Dinim de Malchut de Midat ha Din, included in the male of the Sitra Achra, stand in this Tifferet, since Tifferet includes the whole of the Partzuf.

Moreover, HG are considered inclusion with upper ones, in whom these Dinim have not been disclosed. The first time that those Dinim appeared, they were only a beginning, a shadow. They were not apparent in him. He became two darknesses—on the right and on the left—standing at the beginning of the color black, since the colors of Malchut de Midat ha Din is black. But here it is the beginning of this black color, and is still not apparent in him.

433) From Tifferet, the darkness spreads down to Malchut and persists. Then one black color comes out, having the appearance of iron. This is the completion of the disclosure of Malchut de Midat ha Din in the Sitra Achra, who is called “death.” All of it is in darkness, for the Sitra Achra is built primarily in the dark.

434) From between two pillars, NH de Sitra Achra, a single pillar comes out, darkness in the dark, in which there are two kinds of darkness of Egypt. The colors gold, silver, and bronze are seen in it because it is Yesod, which includes the five Sefirot HGT NH. This is a foreskin because Yesod de Sitra Achra is a foreskin, that the male leads the female to mate and become one.

435) Those seven degrees are in seven great and known degrees. The first degree is the degree that stands in the dark. The darkness rises inside the hiding place of the smoke of the fire, included in the color of smoke and in the black color. Those three colors differ in several ways, twisting in the twists of the world, to punish them.

The essence of the Sitra Achra is darkness. But when the darkness executes punishments on people below, it hides in the three colors, and the Din acts according to the matter. Smoke is male Dinim mixed with female Dinim. Fire is female Dinim gripped to Bina, as in the mitigation of Malchut in Bina. And black is female Dinim in and of herself, which is the harsh Midat ha Din. That first degree is the Rosh of the Sitra Achra.

436) This color of smoke comes down to the world in several manners. It expands in the world and incites spirits of people, bringing them into anger, deflecting their ways so they will strengthen in their anger. This is why it is written, “There shall be no strange god within you, nor will you bow before a foreign god.” “There shall be no strange god within you” is the male of the Sitra Achra. “Nor will you bow before a foreign god” is the female of the Sitra Achra. This smoke is the anger that rules and strengthens in the world. It permeates people and attacks them to harm them.

437) The color of fire comes down to the world in several Behinot: to harm, to kill, to shed blood, and to destroy people. It is written about it, “Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood, let us lurk for the innocent without cause,” since there are those who shed blood without cause and kill for nothing, and there are those who shed blood and kill in war. One is from the

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side of the male of the Sitra Achra, and one is from the side of the female of the Sitra Achra. The male side sheds blood for nothing; the female side by making wars, so they will kill one another. And all the wars and killings come from the side of that female.

438) The black color comes down to the world to be appointed over all the wounded and dead, and the seizing of bodies for the prison, the hanged, and the suffocating, to always harm people. The three colors—smoke, fire, and black—spread into several Behinot in the world, spreading inside the people in the world.

439) The smoke color that comes down to the world is the first color, coming out from the point that is sunken in the shadow, the Dinim de Nukva in it, SAM who rides a camel. That smoke color is called “the great Katzpiel,” from that anger of people who strengthen their hearts with anger. This is why he is called Katzpiel, the Ketzef [anger/wrath] of the El [God].

440) 1,600 regiments of sabotaging angels are appointed under Katzpiel. They are the anger that appears in people’s bodies, for there is anger that rules in the world to execute Din, governing and entering people’s bodies, who are angered by this anger. This is the foundation of all the other harmful colors, for by it, a construction for doing harm is made, since that smoke comes out of the irritation of the upper, blazing fire, and this is the first of that fire.

441) Four irritations divide from that irritation. The first one is called “the irritation that irritates people’s hearts.” It descends and goes and incites people, who become irritated in their anger. It is that which extends the saboteur of the world.

442) The second irritation that comes down to the world and spreads to all sides is called “hate.” Once it enters a person, it is called “a silent saboteur,” “the silent irritation.” It participates in the place of the female. The silent irritation that stands diagonally is the harshest of all because it is like the serpent, which is always silent but in the end kills.

443) The third irritation is opposite from the first irritation because it gradually strengthens and is not silent, but appears. And the more it appears, the more it breaks. It is called “the broken irritation.”

444) The fourth irritation is strong at first, and broken in the end. For this reason, it is opposite from the previous irritation, and is the most broken. This is why everything is in the first degree.

The smoke is two Dinim that conjoin, male Dinim—darkness—with female Dinim—disclosure of the harsh Malchut de Midat ha Din. These two kinds contradict one another because the darkness extends from the left line before it conjoins with the right, Hochma without Hassadim, and Hochma cannot illuminate without Hassadim. This is why the darkness extends from there. These Dinim are considered drawn from the wholeness, from disclosure of illumination of Hochma. And they are called “male Dinim” because a male indicates wholeness.

However, the Dinim of the disclosure of Malchut de Midat ha Din in the Partzuf, where there is the force of the Tzimtzum [restriction], appearing that the Partzuf is unfit for reception of illumination of Hochma due to the Tzimtzum, these Dinim break the Partzuf from GAR and bring it to VAK. This is why they are called “female Dinim.” Thus, the two kinds of Dinim included in the smoke contradict one another.

This is why it was said, “The smoke color that comes down to the world is the first color, coming out from the point that is sunken in the shadow,” since when it mingles in the darkness of the Dinim of the point of Midat ha Din, the darkness is called “shadow.” At first,

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the Dinim of the point of Midat ha Din are not apparent in it; they are only a shadow in it. But when they reappear many times, the form of the Din appears in full, enough to chase the lights away from the Partzuf, and then she is called “death.”

The color of smoke comes out from the shadow, and from the point that is sunken in it. And because those two kinds of Dinim contradict one another, irritation appears in the Partzuf, since they struggle with one another, since the female Dinim wish to remove the wholeness of GAR from him, and the male Dinim rebel against them because of it, wishing to revoke them from the Partzuf. Due to the struggling and the great wrath that appears in the colors of smoke, it is called Katzpiel, from the word Ketzef [anger/wrath]. It was said that people’s anger comes from that, since that anger and irritation from the color of smoke descend into those who cling to the Sitra Achra, and they are always angry and furious.

Four irritations divide from that irritation. They go through four discernments from the time of Malchut de Midat ha Din’s first disclosure as a shadow until she is completely disclosed as death. The first irritation, the smoke color while it is a shadow, is when the female Dinim appear for the first time. At that time it is called “irritation,” as the irritation and anger appear from the male Dinim over the female Dinim. It is all the more so in the first disclosure of the female Dinim, while there is still no impression in them. The male Dinim were irritated in great anger over the mingling of these Dinim of the female.

The second irritation is when it enters a person. It is called “silent saboteur” because once the female Dinim appeared for the first time, to sabotage the male Dinim, but could not, they came in the second state, being silent and no longer struggling with one another. However, hatred between them was felt. This is the irritation of silence, which stands diagonally. Through the irritation in the hatred only, without the struggling, it became possible for Dinim to ascend to Bina for mitigation in the diagonal.

The third irritation is not silent, but disclosed. The male Dinim awoke to struggle with the female Dinim once more, and the more it appears, the more it breaks, for through the struggling, the Dinim of Malchut de Midat ha Din reappeared until they obtained a sufficient amount to break the male Dinim, to chase away the lights of Hochma in them. But not entirely, since each time the male Dinim regained strength. It is called “broken irritation,” for each time, the irritation caused a breakage.

The fourth irritation is strong in the beginning and broken in the end. In the beginning, there was a hard struggle between the two kinds of Dinim. But in the end, the female Dinim prevail and break the Partzuf, meaning the form of Malchut of the harsh Midat ha Din, called “death,” is completed and there is no more struggling there. Two kinds of Dinim are left in her: female Dinim, which were completed in her, as well as the Dinim of darkness, which lost their completeness due to the prevailing of the female Dinim.

This is why it was said that this irritation is the most broken of all, for in the first three states, the darkness was in the completeness of illumination of Hochma from the left line. But in the fourth state, not only were the female Dinim completed in it, but the completeness of the darkness was cancelled, too, and it was broken from both sides. And since the smoke consists of these four states of irritation, it follows that everything is in the first degree, the smoke.

445) After he explained the Rosh de Sitra Achra, the first degree, now he explains the second degree, Hesed de Sitra Achra, emerging from the darkness of the Rosh. It is the color of darkness, although it is Hesed and the degree of “right.” It is darkness, too, for all the Sefirot de Sitra Achra come from darkness.

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446) There are 300 Behinot in this degree, dividing from one another. It is the right hand, and there are three knots in it. Each knot consists of 100, thus 300. Although they differ from one another, stronger than one another, they are all included in one another. Therefore, all the degrees on this side know how to harm.

447) From here come all those saboteurs that roam the world and execute Din openly for hidden deeds that were done in darkness, in concealment. They roam the world and execute Din in them openly. For this reason, all who roam the world and execute Din openly are all against people, always ready to avenge those hidden sins. And those who are called “rant and rave” join them and execute Din on people. This is done in the world by those litigants of the second degree.

448) This degree stands in darkness and in fire, which are one. From this degree, several strong degrees divide, standing under one firmament, called “black color,” Dinim de Malchut de Midat ha Din. The third degree, Gevura de Sitra Achra, is a firmament that spreads over all those red degrees, which are Dinim from Malchut that is mitigated in Bina. The two degrees, second and third, are called “arms.” The second degree is the right arm, Hesed, and the third degree is the left arm, Gevura.

449) Below those two arms, degrees expand downward until they reach the black firmament. Even the degrees of the left arm, the red ones, expand to the black firmament, since those on the second degree, the right arm, come out from the black firmament and roam the world. Therefore, they take with them the degrees of the third degree, as well, being the left arm.

450) Those on the right, the second degree, divide into three Behinot, three knots in the right arm. Those on the left, the third degree, divide into three Behinot, which are three other knots in the left arm.

451) The first knot on the right arm stands up, in the joint that is connected to the shoulder. Smoke that is dark with irritation connects to it. There are three dark colors in this knot, which differ from one another, and mingle with one another. That knot is bent and does not expand, except in certain times. It is called “fume.”

452) This knot stands in its irritation and does not subside, except when Israel offer sacrifices below, for then the irritation subsides and surrenders below, its irritation wanes, and it cannot rule and strengthen. When this one wanes, the other knot, in the middle of the arm, also cannot journey and lead.

453) The second knot of the right hand is called “rage.” It travels from place to place and leads all the other knots, which are all strengthened by this knot. It brings every sorrow in the world when it joins to embrace the Nukva, for then every sorrow, every pressure, and every plight come down to the world, since the male and the female cannot rule without each other, and all the degrees are given to the Nukva de Sitra Achra to rule and to incite the world. Had they not ridden one atop the other, conjoining in one another, they would not have been able to rule.

454) When Adam HaRishon was in the Garden of Eden to engage in the work of his Master, SAM and all the degrees in him came down and he was riding the evil serpent, his Nukva, to deflect them, since the serpent that stood under SAM was cunning in inciting people and seducing them. Hence, the male gives strength and the female does craft in the world—seducing and deflecting. One without the other, they would not be able to govern.

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455) For this reason, when the middle knot of the arm connects to the Nukva, Dinim and every pressure come down to the world. And when it does not strengthen and does not travel, everything breaks and surrenders, for they cannot rule. For this reason, everything breaks and surrenders in the offerings below, and Malchut de Kedusha rises to be crowned above, to be blessed by the upper depth, Bina, who illuminates to every face.

456) The third knot of the right arm is the strongest. It is called “plight,” because from it comes the domination to instill pressure and to cause people troubles. There are three knots—fume, rage, plight—on the right arm, the second degree.

457) When the three knots in the left hand, the third degree, strengthen together, it is called “left,” a delegation of evil angels. This is because from that left, all the evil angels that emerge from the side below are sent down and take strength. All this comes out from the second and third degrees, since the second degree is the right hand, and the third degree is the left hand.

458) The fourth degree of the Sitra Achra stands inside the twisting of the irritation, the color of fire. It is called “middle,” which is the Guf, Tifferet, standing in the middle, between the two arms, HG. There is a blazing fire here, blazing in the red color like a rose. From here comes the power that descends to attack and to shed blood, since this degree gives permission and dominion below in the world to attack and to shed blood. This degree is a fountain for the Nukva, since the Nukva needs a male like the body needs a soul. The soul does not do crafts, but rather the body. Hence, each power and each mighty deed comes out of this degree, the male, to attack and to perform crafts in the world, to harm, like a female who always receives from the male.

459) At each degree and in each knot there are appointees and regiments of saboteurs that are led by them. All of them are below, in the world, the hosts of the Nukva de Sitra Achra. They all have a degree above, and they are led by it.

460) As there are palaces of the Nukva on the upper side, of Kedusha, toward the upper degrees of the male, to be included in one another, likewise, below in the Sitra Achra, opposite the Kedusha, there are degrees in the male toward the palaces of the Nukva, to be included in one another.

461) In the fourth degree are evil Dinim, to come down, to be given into those saboteurs who make an evil and strong Din on the wicked. From there they suckle their strength to attack and to complete the Din that they execute. For this reason, all those degrees are included in them, in all those lower palaces on the side of the Nukva below. Happy are the righteous who stray from that path and follow the fear of the Creator, to be sanctified in the sanctity of their Master. Happy are they in this world and in the next world.

462) The fifth degree divides into two degrees—right and left—which are called shins, NH. They catch up to chase and to harm because here is the chasing power of all the diseases and all the evil that chases the wicked. When this Din approaches, it is as it is written, “The runners went forth in haste.” Those who run below, to run and to harm, are called “chasers.” It is written about it, “Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the heaven.”

463) This degree divides into right and left. Three ties are to the right, and three ties are to the left, since there are three ties in each leg, as in the hands. Those ties in the legs, and those ties in the hands, all look behind, since those upper holy ties all look ahead to the Guf, as it is written, “And all their rears turned inward,” while those in the Sitra Achra look behind, from the Guf outward.

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464) What is the difference between the ties of Kedusha and the ties of the Sitra Achra? The upper, holy ties are on the side of man, and all their rears turn inwards. The ties of the Sitra Achra are in their middle, the second tie in each, and they all look back, on the side of the beast. For this reason, all their rears are turned backward, as it is written, “Man and beast You save, O Lord,” one on the side of man, and one on the side of the beast. The offering rises in the form of man and beast.

465) The first tie is from the legs of the Sitra Achra, in which the color “darkness” stands inside the mist, like one who grows in a curse under a rock that stands on it so it does not grow. Likewise, the tie is poised to harm the worthy, in whom there are merits, and who have no ancestral merit by which to be strengthened and protected. It is like a plant growing under a rock: it does not grow, for this plant grows in a curse.

466) The other ties are from the legs of the Sitra Achra, who chase the wicked who have previously deflected. They chase them, and those in whom an inscription for recognizing is seen, since all those who should be punished, an angel—a holy messenger from the side of Gevura—comes down and writes an inscription in them, which is recognized above by the litigants. When the inscription is known to them, those who deserve disease are stricken with disease, and those who deserve pain and other punishments are affected accordingly. They see everything in that inscription.

467) For this reason, those ties all stand back and kick those who kick their master, and all those who deserve to be kicked, except for the righteous and pious, since they have ancestral merit and diseases chase them. Those ties do not control them and the illnesses do not come upon them from that side.

468) From where do the illnesses come upon them? It is written, “The Lord wishes to oppress him.” He wishes to strike him and to give him illnesses, to reward him with the next world. But they do not come from the Sitra Achra. Those are called “pains of love,” and it all amounts to the weight of one holiness.

469) The sixth degree is Yesod de Sitra Achra. It is called “foreskin” because it suckles from that side. This is the Boa serpent, the male, nursing the Slant serpent, his female. All the degrees that cling to one another on that side are called “unripe fruit” of the foreskin.

470) As long as not all the trees that were planted in the earth strike root, there is a spirit over them from the side of that foreskin. This is why it is written, “You shall count its fruit as forbidden [foreskin]; three years shall it be forbidden to you; it shall not be eaten,” since the love of Israel is always with the Creator, and He removed them from all the bad ways and bad sides that defile, to cling to the side of Kedusha. Happy are they in this world, and happy are they in the next world.

Palaces of Kedusha471) These palaces are poised to establish the order of the praise of the Creator, between the order that stands in words and the order that stands in will. It is so because there is an order applied in words, and there is an order applied in will and in the aim of the heart, to know and to look through Ein Sof, where all desires and thoughts are pinned, and which is not at all expressible in words. Rather, as it is concealed, so are all the words concealed.

472) In all the palaces, all the orders have one rule: to include the lower palaces in the upper palaces.

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473) When Moses established his prayer for Israel, he prolonged this prayer because it is a prayer that stands above, in ZA. When he established his prayer in brief, praying for his sister, he did not prolong this prayer because it stands below, in Malchut, as it is written, “Please, Lord, please heal her,” and he did not prolong further. Because he is the master of the house—Malchut is called “house,” and Moses is a Merkava for ZA, who is Malchut’s master—he commanded his house properly. This is why he did not prolong his prayer. Also, all the arrangements in the palaces are to instill Divinity in the world.

The length of the prayer, Torah, that extends the abundance from above downward, applies only in ZA. The brevity of the prayer, Torah, which extends only from below upward, applies in the abundance of illumination of Hochma from Malchut. This is why the lower palaces must be included in the upper palaces, and it is forbidden to draw the abundance directly from the upper palaces down to the lower ones. In principle, they are three kinds of Hitkalelut [mingling]. It was said, “All the arrangements in the palaces are to instill Divinity in the world,” for it is impossible to extend her unless through Hitkalelut of the lower ones in the upper ones, from below upward.

474) Happy are you, Adam HaRishon, the chosen one among all creations present in the world, for the Creator has made you greater than all and had let you into the Garden of Eden, and established for you seven canopies in which to play in the pleasure of the sublime delight, as it is written, “To behold the pleasantness of the Lord, and to visit in His palace.” “To behold the pleasantness of the Lord” above in ZA, “And to visit in His palace” below, in Malchut. “To behold the pleasantness of the Lord” in those seven firmaments above, of ZA, “And to visit in His palace,” in those seven firmaments below, of Malchut. These stand opposite those.

475) In all of them, the seven firmaments of ZA and the seven firmaments of Malchut, You stood in the Garden of Eden. The seven upper holy canopies, firmaments of ZA, stood over you, above, to be crowned in them. These are Hassadim. And those seven lower firmaments, of Malchut, you stood in them to play in them, and they are illumination, called “entertainments.” In all of them, your Master complemented you, to be whole in everything, whether in Hassadim or in Hochma.

476) Until you were deflected by the counsel of the wicked serpent and were expelled from the Garden of Eden, causing death to you and to the entire world, for you had left those enjoyments above and below, following those impure cravings, called “vipers’ head,” after which the body follows, and not the spirit, as it is written, “And a cruel vipers’ head,” who is cruel to the spirit. Finally, Abraham the pious came and began to mend the world, and entered the holy faith, establishing above and below—in those upper firmaments, and in those lower firmaments.

477) The lower firmaments of Malchut are palaces for the upper firmaments of ZA, to unite and to connect with one another. Here we should detail the matters and establish the unification as it should be, so the friends will not err and will go in the straight path, as it is written, “For the ways of the Lord are upright; the righteous shall walk in them.”

The Palace of the Sapphire Pavement, Yesod478) The first palace, Yesod and Malchut, is the first from below upward. It is a beginning with faith, Malchut of the palaces, who is called “faith.” The beginning of faith is the beginning of Malchut de Atzilut at the degree of seeing in the faith, in the degrees of illumination of Hochma in her, called “seeing.” The true prophets would see out of this mirror

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that does not illuminate, Malchut. And because this palace is the beginning of faith, the beginning of Malchut de Atzilut, it is written, “The beginning of the words of the Lord is in Hosea,” who saw out of that degree, the first palace, which is the beginning of all the degrees rising up, and the end of all the degrees going down to the Sitra Achra.

479) “And the Lord said to Hosea, ‘Go, take for yourself a woman of harlotry.’” Because Hosea saw the end of all the degrees out of this beginning, from within the palaces of Tuma’a, he had to take that woman of harlotry. It is so because Israel were repelled and were drawn out of that first palace down to the place called “woman of harlotry,” Malchut de Tuma’a, for they left and did not cling to a virtuous woman, Malchut de Kedusha. He saw from there all those palaces that are on the side of Tuma’a.

480) The palaces of Tuma’a defile anyone who clings to them. Because Hosea had to look into the palaces of Tuma’a, it is written, “Take for yourself a woman of harlotry.” But does a prophet really need it? Yet, because a person is forbidden to enter these palaces of Tuma’a for fear that he would be taken after them, as did Noah, as it is written, “And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered,” clinging to the Sitra Achra, the intoxicating wine. This is because wine is illumination of Hochma. When drinking as the measure of the law, extending Hochma only from below upward, then it is wine that delights God and people. But when he drinks more than the measure, extending the Hochma from above downward, it is an intoxicating wine.

481) Hosea feared looking into these palaces, in which Israel were defiled and to which they clung, for fear that he would be taken after them, as it is written about Noah, “And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered.” Finally, He said to him, “Take for yourself a woman of harlotry and children of harlotry.” The woman of harlotry is Malchut de Sitra Achra. Children of harlotry are her degrees.

It is written, “And he went and took Gomer, daughter of Diblaim,” to know to what Israel clung and were defiled leaving the faith, Malchut de Kedusha, for a foreign god, Malchut de Tuma’a. Hence, he saw it from the first palace, the beginning of all the degrees. This is why it is written about her, “Sin crouches at the door,” for right at the door of that palace is the Sitra Achra, a woman of harlotry. The appointee over the Sitra Achra is standing by the door.

482) That palace is the beginning of everything to rise in degrees. It is a section that stands in the light, to be crowned in its degrees, to look upon those upper degrees, as it is written, “And they saw the God of Israel,” for since that palace is considered Malchut, there is seeing in her, for there is seeing only in Malchut.

483) There is an appointed attendant in that palace, Tahariel. He stands by the door to the palace, and all the souls, once they pass away from this world, rise and wish to come to the first palace. That appointee stands at the door, along with several other appointees, all of whom are blazing fire, scepters of fire in their hands, and all are with eyes, since there is seeing in this palace, Hochma. And because the Hochma appears only by disclosure of Dinim, they are all blazing fire. If the soul, once it departed from this world, is rewarded with entering, that appointee opens the opening and the soul enters.

484) If the soul is unworthy, having sinned in this world, another appointee is summoned, from the Sitra Achra. He stands on the other side, and several thousands and tens of thousands of litigators and litigants are with him. The Dinim de Miftacha are called “thousands,” and those of Man’ula are called “tens of thousands,” as it is written, “A thousand may fall at your

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side and ten thousand on your right; it shall not approach you,” for they are found here in the verse, “Sin crouches at the door.”

The holy appointee rejects her and the other one, on the side of Tuma’a, receives her and admits her into the palaces of Tuma’a. And all those litigants and litigators grip her until they bring her down to Hell, where she is sentenced for 12 months, which is the correction of the Sitra Achra, a courthouse in which to judge the wicked.

485) The holy appointee stands over the door to all the prayers that breach airs and firmaments to come before the King. If it is a prayer of many, he opens the gate and lets her in, where she is detained until all the prayers of the world become a crown on the head of the righteous one who lives forever, Yesod.

486) If it is a prayer of one, it rises until it reaches the palace door, where that appointee stands. If the prayer is good for entering the holy King, he immediately opens a door and lets it in. If it is not good, he pushes it out and it descends and roams the world, standing at the bottom firmament from among those firmaments below, which lead the world. In that firmament is the appointee Sahadiel, who takes those rejected prayers, called “disqualified prayers,” and conceals them until a person repents.

487) If he repents before his Master properly, and prays another prayer, a good one, when the prayer rises, the appointee, Sahadiel, takes that prayer, the disqualified one, and raises it until it meets the good prayer. Then they rise and mingle together, and come in before the holy King.

488) Sometimes, a prayer is rejected because that man went after the Sitra Achra and was defiled. The appointee in the Sitra Achra takes that prayer, and then the Sitra Achra stands and mentions the man’s iniquities before the Creator, slandering him above. For this reason, when the prayers and souls rise, they all rise and stand before that first palace, and that appointee stands by the door of the palace, letting the souls and prayers inside, or rejecting them.

489) Above the door of the palace is another door, which the Creator dug out of Dinim de Miftacha, as it is written, “The well that the ministers dug.” It opens three times a day, meaning that three lines illuminate in it, and it does not close. It stands open for those who repent, who have shed tears in their prayer before their Master. And all the gates and doors are closed until they come in by permission, except for these gates, which are called “the gates of tears.” Those are open and require no permission.

This is so because the first door is as it is written, “Sin crouches at the door,” where the Malchut de Man’ula is found, ten thousand. In that respect, repentance does not help because it is the quality of harsh Din. But the Creator dug another door above it, the Miftacha, Malchut that is mitigated in Bina, and from there the repentance helps.

490) When this prayer in tears rises through these gates, that Ophan, who is an angel from Malchut, called Ophan comes. He stands over 600 big animals, and his name is Yerachmiel. He takes the prayer in tears, the prayer enters and is connected above, and the tears remain here. They are written in a door that the Creator dug.

The prayer in tears raises MAN for correction of the Miftacha, to raise Malchut to Bina; hence, the prayer is accepted and the tears remain carved on the door, where they cause the mitigation of Malchut in Bina. Dema [tearing] comes from the word mixing, for it mixes and mingles Malchut in Bina.

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491) There are tears that are always registered on the upper Merkavot and are not erased. Those tears were shed above and below when the Temple was ruined. The Man’ula is mixed in them, and repentance does not help with them, hence they are not erased. Those tears that are shed over the righteous and worthy when they part from the world, those Merkavot take them all and mix them with those tears that were shed over the ruin of the Temple. This is why it is written in the future, “And the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces.” The faces are the upper, holy Merkavot. Afterwards, “And He will remove the disgrace of His people,” at the end of correction.

492) There is a spirit called Situtria in this palace. It is an appearance of sapphire that sparkles in all directions. It stands to both sides, illuminating to the right and to the left. It is called Situtria from the word Sitrin, meaning sides [in Aramaic]. The sparkling spreads like the sparkling of a candle, illuminating to four sides.

493) When the upper firmament, the river that stretches out of Eden, Yesod de ZA, elicits souls to bring them to the seventh palace above, Bina of the palaces, the seventh palace receives them. When the holy souls come out of the seventh palace, they descend until they reach the first palace. The holy spirit, Situtria, who is to the right, takes them, as well as all those male souls that are destined to blossom and clothe in male righteous, who are right. That spirit takes them all and they are detained there until they are mingled with female souls.

494) From the spirit, Situtria, a spirit comes out to the left side. It is called Adiria Sanugia. At first, it is seen by itself, then it is concealed and becomes included in the first spirit, and they become one, included in one another. This spirit is poised to receive female souls when the craving of the seventh palace is to cling to the river that stretches out, Yesod de ZA de Atzilut. At that time, that desire that rises from below upward makes souls with its will, and they are females. And since that spirit is in Gevura and left line, it is called Adiria, from the word Adir [mighty/great] and huge.

495) When the desire of the river—Yesod de ZA—descends and clings from above downwards, it makes male souls. The desire above, of Yesod, makes male souls, and of below, of the Malchut in which the seventh palace is included, makes female souls.

496) When the female souls come out of the seventh palace, they come down from there until they reach the spirit of the left, called Adiria. It is called “the sapphire pavement.” The first spirit, Situtria, is called “sapphire,” and the left spirit is called “a sapphire pavement,” as it is written, “And under His feet there appeared to be a sapphire pavement.”

497) When the souls reach the spirit Adiria, the spirit takes them and they stand in it. Afterwards, the spirit of the left mingles with the spirit of the right, and those souls become mingled with male and female together. At that time they fly out of the palace and divide inside people once again, arriving and clothing in each one according to his way: In the male, a male soul is clothed; and in the female, a female soul. Afterwards they hold each other and mate together.

498) When the spirit of the left comes to mingle with the spirit of the right, they beat on each other in order to mingle, and sparks spread out to all directions. Ophanim—which come from the spirit of the left—are made of these sparks, and these are the Ophanim that blaze in fire. They stand in singing.

499) When spirit is perfumed in spirit, the left in the right, and they are mingled together, a light is born and comes out of them. It ascends and descends, and settles over the four rows of Ophanim. It is an animal that governs them, and it is written about it, “The spirit of the animal

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in the Ophanim.” It is called Bazak, illuminating in a sparkling light in a flame, and ruling over all the Ophanim.

500) One firmament spreads out from Bazak, standing on two pillars. Those two pillars are two cherubim—Matat and Sandalfon—one from this side and one from that side, and a firmament is over their heads, as it is written, “And I looked, and, behold, upon the firmament that was over the head of the cherubim was an appearance similar to a sapphire stone, as an image of a throne was seen upon them.” That Bazak is appointed over the firmament, and the upper spirit, Situtria—included in Adiria—is appointed over all.

501) All the early prayers, before Israel completed all the prayers, are detained in that firmament, and Bazak, who rules the firmament, corrects them. Finally, Sandalfon—the great appointee, the superior spirit who governs everything—comes, and when Israel complete all the prayers, he takes them from that firmament, ascends, and ties them to their Master.

502) That Bazak stands to count all the prayers that rise, and all the words of Torah that are crowned in the night, when the northern spirit awakens and the night divides. Anyone who stands at that time and engages in Torah, all those words rise, and Bazak takes them and places them in the firmament until the day rises.

503) Once the day has risen, the words rise and stay in the place of the firmament, in which stars, signs, sun, and moon hang. It is Yesod de ZA, for the degrees in it are called so. This is called “a book of remembrance,” as it is written, “And a book of remembrance was written before Him.” A book is Malchut; “remembrance” is Yesod. “Before Him,” since “book” and “remembrance” are written in the same connection, meaning in Zivug of the Panim [anterior/face].

504) Four wheels travel on 12 pillars, since there are four wheels to each Ophan, and each wheel has three pillars. Those four wheels are Ahaniel, Kdumiel, Malkiel, YAHDONHY, and Yahadonia. The keys to the holy name are in their hands.

Four wheels are HG TM, which are four angels, Ahaniel, Kdumiel, Malkiel, and Yahadonia. Ahaniel—Ahani El [I will delight God]. Ahani comes from the words benefit and joy, as it is on the side of Hesed, right. Kdumiel—Kedumei El [The first of God], since what precedes Gevura is Hesed, and since he is from the side of Gevura, the inclusion with Hesed is inscribed in his name. The right line controls the Gevura by its precedence, and this is why he is called Kadmiel.

Malkiel—Malkey El [kings of God], is Tifferet, who is called “a king.” Yahadonia is HaVaYaH and Din combined. It is the Malchut, in which there is the Din of ADNI, and he is mitigated by the name HaVaYaH. Aleph of ADNI is missing in this angel because Aleph indicates the name EKYEH, which illuminates in Malchut de Atzilut.

505) Those four are included in the letters of the name ADNI. Sandalfon, the owner of the Merkavot, uses them. Those four letters fly in the air, included in the letters of the holy name HaVaYaH with the filling of letters Aleph: Yod-He-Vav-He, and Avir comprises the four letters ADNI. Thus, ADNI are included in HaVaYaH. The four letters HaVaYaH take the four letters ADNI in Bazak.

Bazak is an animal that controls the Ophanim. It extends from the Hitkalelut of Malchut in Yesod. For this reason, the four letters HaVaYaH are extended by it over the four letters ADNI in the Ophanim.

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506) The four letters ADNI enter the four letters HaVaYaH, as it is written, “The loops were parallel to one another.” This is the meaning of including and incorporating these with those, in the spirit Bazak, which is included in the holy name from the two of them, for he is an offshoot of the spirit Adiria, ADNI, who is connected to the spirit Situtria, HaVaYaH. Therefore, he includes the name ADNI in the name HaVaYaH.

507) Everything in this palace is conducted and travels in that spirit, in the meaning of the holy name who governs everything. In that palace, the holy name, YAHDONHY, comprises two names—ADNI HaVaYaH—combined in one another, as it is spirit in spirit, since two spirits govern— Situtria, a male, and the spirit Adiria, a female: HaVaYaH from the side of the male spirit, and ADNI from the side of the female spirit.

When the name YAHDONHY, comprising two spirits, spirit in spirit, illuminates in one another, everything illuminates and the light ascends and descends like the light of the sun in water. As the light of the sun spreads in the water through its end, uniting one another as one, the light of the spirit of the name HaVaYaH spreads in its illumination in the spirit of the name ADNI and they unite with one another as one.

508) Then, when this spirit—Situtria that is included in Adiria—journeys, all travel thanks to him. And when that spirit illuminates from the name YAHDONHY, they all connect as one, to rise up in that holy name.

509) In the middle of the palace stands a pillar, pinned from this palace to the other, upper palace. On that pillar, the spirit below rises to the spirit above in the other palace, to unite spirit in spirit. Also, it rises on that pillar through the highest spirit, which is in the seventh palace, since in each palace that pillar stands in its middle, so they all become one spirit, as it is written, “One spirit for all.”

510) That pillar, which stands in the middle, is called Adaraniel. He holds the keys to the holy name. When the prayers ascend and reach that pillar, all who are in that palace travel to the other palace to unite with one another, so that all become one, to unite above and below together, so the holy name will be whole, as it should. Adaraniel means “carrying here,” since Adar means carrying, and Hani is like Hena [over here]. This is because that angel, who is the pillar, carries the lower ones and brings them to the upper palace.

The Palace of the Object of the Heaven, Hod511) The second palace stands in faith to unite above. It is more concealed than the first, and contains three doors. Appointed over them is Orphaniel, which means “light of the Panim [face/anterior],” as he stands at the door toward the east, which is called Panim. The appointee also controls the three directions of the world—south, north, and east. South is right, Hesed; north is left, Gevura; and east is in the middle, Tifferet, the deciding line.

512) There are three doors to three sides. Two doors are blocked, and the middle door is open, as it is written, “As pure as an object of the heaven,” which is the door that is open in the middle, Tifferet, called “sky” [or “heaven”]. The appointee Orphaniel was appointed and stands in the open door on the east. Under him are two other appointees, appointed over the two other openings on the south and on the north. Those are hidden.

513) All the souls of the slain by the courthouse or slain of the rest of the nations were deposited to those three appointees, and the appointee over them carves their form in his garments, which are burning fire, raises them, and shows them to his Master. Then the Creator takes them and carves the slain of the rest of the nations in His clothes.

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514) The appointee lowers the slain of the courthouse and lets them in after those two hidden doors, where two other appointees stand. From there, the souls see the glory of all those who observed the Torah and kept His Mitzvot. They are ashamed of themselves and are burned [suffer burns] by their own Huppah [canopy] until the appointee who stands over them opens the Eastern gate for them and illuminates for them, giving them life that opens at that gate. In the hand of the appointee is a cup of life full of lights, which is called “a cup of consolation,” “a cup of life,” for because they first drank a cup of death—meaning they were killed—they are rewarded with this.

The slain of the courthouse for their sin drink the cup of poison, meaning they were killed by the fourth courthouse deaths. Their death is their atonement, hence the appointee Orphaniel lets them in first, after the two hidden gates on the south and on the north—the two lines right and left—from which they see the complete righteous who cling to the right line and engage in Torah, as well as their good reward. They envy them and are burned by their Huppah, and then he opens for them the Eastern gate, the middle line, uniting the two lines and giving the souls a cup of life countering the cup of poison that they drank from the Klipot.

515) Likewise, in the Sitra Achra, in the palace of Tuma’a, there is another appointee, in whose hand is the cup of poison, the cup of His fury. As there is wine and there is wine, here too there is a cup, and there is a cup. One is for better and one is for worse. Wine is for better, as it is written, “And wine delights the heart of man.” A wine for worse is as it is written, “And foaming wine, full of mixture.” The cup for better is as it is written, “I shall raise a cup of salvation.” A cup for worse is as it is written, “The cup of His fury ... the cup of poison.”

516) As on the side of Kedusha, palaces and appointees are all for the better, as are holy spirits and holy Behinot. Likewise, on the side of Tuma’a are palaces and appointees that are all for worse—the appointed spirits of Tuma’a, and all the Behinot of Tuma’a. They are one opposite the other, like the good inclination and the evil inclination, and it is all one.

517) This palace is called “a palace of radiance” because there is the spirit of Orphaniel in it, a radiance that does not change, that always illuminates only in the white in it, Hesed. He stands in a hidden light that illuminates from above, from the third palace, and in the light that illuminates from below, from the spirit in the first palace, which rose here. When the light below, from the first palace, strikes the upper light that is here, that spirit illuminates as the seeing in the eye. When it incarnates, it emits the sparkling and radiating light. Likewise is that spirit. This is why that palace is called “radiating.”

518) The spirit, Orphaniel illuminates to that palace and to the first palace because the spirit in the first palace illuminates openly from the hidden spirit that is here. This is why that spirit travels upward and travels downward, as it is written, “The curves of your thighs are as jewels,” for here is the palace of Hod, and NH are called “thighs.” And since it is a hidden light, it is called Hamukey [curves], meaning concealment [Homkim means concealed], as it is written, “my beloved has slipped and passed.”

It is written, “The curves of your thighs” in plural form because there is another spirit here, which came out of Orphaniel, to the left, and connects with him. The left spirit, Hadarniel, means Hod and Hadar [majesty and splendor]. They are included in one another, mingled together, and they an object of the heaven, for it consists of fire and water, two spirits, right and left, where right is water and left is fire.

519) It is written, “As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain.” The first spirit, Orphaniel, is hidden both above and below, and illuminates like HASHMAL

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[electricity]. But not actual HASHMAL, which is uttering fire-animals, for there is no speaking in it, illumination of Hochma. At times it is actual HASHMAL, when Hadarniel is included in it, from whom emerge all those seraphim, since HASHMAL has the letters of Hayot Esh Memallelot [uttering fire-animals], and also present and absent animals—animals that at times feel and at times utter. This is why it is HASHMAL.

520) In Orphaniel there is life forever. When the world is sentenced favorably, that spirit illuminates, and all of life and joy are present, for because the merit departs and the Dinim press in and illuminate, that spirit illuminates, as it is written, “In the light of a king's face is life,” for so are the letters of Orphaniel.

521) When the world is sentenced to Din, Sitra Achra rules and attacks, and the spirit of Orphaniel is concealed and darkened. At that time the whole world is in Din and sentenced. It all depends on that spirit. The mark is that the fear of the Dinim is felt in the knees, NH, and that palace is the palace of Hod.

522) Here there are all the garments of the souls of the righteous, who ascend to be seen before their Master and stand before Him. When the soul rises and reaches that palace, that appointee over the garments, Tzidkiel, which means justice, arrives. It is so because when a person performs the Mitzvot of the Torah in this world, to the extent that he exerts and labors in keeping them, so a garment is made for him in that place above, to wear in that world.

523) When the soul ascends, the appointee takes her garment and reaches the river of fire, where the soul must bathe and be whitened. Sometimes the soul burns there and drowns, and does not rise from there all day until morning, when the spirit from the south side awakens. Then the souls stand, they are renewed, and sing like the angels whose governance passes away. They burn and stand, and are renewed as before.

524) If the soul is rewarded and rises, the appointee Tzidkiel takes the soul and clothes it in a garment. She is corrected in it, and rises for an offering by the angel Michael the priest, to always stand, for all times, before Atik Yomin. Happy is that soul which stands and is rewarded with it.

525) The spirit Orphaniel, who rules over that palace, is appointed over all of it. When spirit is included in spirit—Orphaniel in Hadarniel—and they strike each other to be mingled together, the other rules that were appointed over the world are created. These are the seraphim with six wings, which sanctify their Master three times a day. They are meticulous with the righteous as a hair’s breadth, and are poised to punish—in this world and in the next world—those who slight the man from whom they learned even a single matter in the Torah and are not respectful of him, and all those who are using one who has learned the six books of the Mishnah, to unify the unification of their Master.

526) When spirit settles in spirit—Orphaniel in Hadarniel—and they illuminate together, an animal comes out of that light—Yofiel—ruling over the seraphim. There are four animals below it, whose faces are the face of an eagle. Yofiel is in all the secrets of the wisdom, and all those keys to the wisdom are in it.

527) This animal is poised to demand reward from the Creator, to give to all who chase after all wise ones, and even after every man to learn wisdom to know their Master and to reward people who pursue wisdom, to know their Master.

528) When a person passes away from this world, this animal comes out on four flying seraphim. They fly in front of him and it does not let all those evokers of judgment and

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sentence approach him. There are several messengers of peace around him, which are the seraphim. When they travel and are seen, those serpents and seraphim that come out of the serpent, who caused death to the entire world, surrender.

529) This holy animal stands, and when the soul ascends and reaches it, it asks the soul about the wisdom of her Master. She is rewarded according to the extent of the wisdom that she pursued and obtained. If the person could have obtained wisdom but did not, the soul is repelled and does not enter. She stands in shame under the palace. When the seraphim under the animal lift their wings, they all flap their wings and burn the soul. She burns and does not burn; she stands and does not stand; she illuminates and does not illuminate. And so she is sentenced each day.

530) And although she has good deeds, she is repelled because there is no reward in that world as for those who exert in wisdom, to observe the glory of their Master, and there is no measure to the reward of those who know wisdom, to observe the glory of their Master. Happy are they in this world and in the next world, as it is written, “Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who obtains understanding.”

531) The spirit, Orphaniel, rules over everything. All are included in him; all look to him. That animal, Yofiel, rules over four other animals, and four wheels look to each side—to the east, to the north, to the south, and to the west.

Each wheel has three pillars. The wheel to the east, Tifferet, is Haniel, from the word Hen [grace]. The wheel to the north, Gevura, is Karshiel, from the word, Krisha [coagulation], since the lights on the left side coagulate, freeze. The wheel to the south, Hesed, is Azriel, from the word Ezra [help], and the wheel to the west, Malchut, is Aniel, from the word Ani [poor], since Malchut has nothing of her own and she is poor. Those three pillars on each wheel look to the middle, Tifferet, since the middle one carries all of them, and they all travel thanks to it. Were it not for the middle line, they would have been dark, without light.

532) Those who stand in the middle, Tifferet, are all appointed to sing. Those on the right, Hesed, sing, the desire rises up, and they say, “Holy.” Those on the left, Gevura, sing, the desire rises up, and they say, “Blessed,” since “holy” is above, in HGT, and “blessed” is below, in Malchut. For this reason, those who stand above, on the right side, take Kedusha and connect to Kedusha, to all who know how to sanctify the name of their Master in the unification of the wisdom. Those who stand on the left take Kedusha and connect to those who do not know how to properly sanctify their Master. They are all included in the unification and connect to one another until they all become one connection and one spirit.

533) From this place all the wise ones that are to know through a vision or a dream suckle. This is because the prophets suckle from above, from NH de ZA de Atzilut, and the dreamer or visionary suckles from here, from the palace of Hod. When the palace of Hod connects to the place above, in NH de ZA, the prophets suckle from above and from below in one connection.

534) This is why there is an allegory in the words of the prophets that their prophecy is not properly polished, as was with Moses, whose prophecy was completely polished because the light came from above, from Bina, the place from which all the lights emerge and reach his degree, Tifferet de Atzilut, and from there he suckled his prophecy and illuminated. This was not so for any person, nor for all the prophets. And those dreamers and visionaries suckle from below, from the palace of Hod, without the connection of NH de ZA above, and through a lower degree, Malchut, who is outside, in the first palace.

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535) As with the degree of the prophets above, who receive from NH de ZA, the prophets do not see it from NH de ZA, but through another, inferior degree, Malchut de Atzilut. Here, too, the dreamers and visionaries, whose suckling is above, in the palace of Hod, it appears to them only through a degree outside the palace, which is Malchut in the first palace, inferior to it. It is so because the matter comes from the palace of Hod, and the matter reaches the appointee who stands at the gate to that palace, and from there to another appointee who is under him, and so forth until it reaches Malchut in the first palace. And when the matter reaches man, several have mingled with the matter, hence it is not properly polished.

536) When four wheels connect to the four pillars in the middle, and each wheel has three pillars—right, left, and middle—they are all called “desirables.” They are the visionaries because illumination of Hochma is the desirable, and it is not revealed in the wheels from Chazeh and above, but only in the pillars from the Chazeh and below. But their primary disclosure is in their middle one. Hence, the wheels do not give to the handsome ones, except by Hitkalelut with the middle pillar. This is why Bazak rules over them and Daniel is called “A man of desirables.” Happy are they who know the secrets of their Master, to walk in the path of truth in this world and in the next world.

The Palace of Noga, Netzah537) The palace of Netzah stands in a higher light than all the first ones. There are four doors to this palace—to the south, to the east, to the north, and to the west—opposite HB TM. At each door is a different appointee.

538) At the first door stands the appointee, Malkiel, ruling over all the writings of the sentences that come out of the King’s courthouse to sentence the world. Two counters are under him, to the right and to the left. Reception of Achoraim de Mochin is called “engraving” or “writing.” Angel Malkiel corrects them to befit the Mochin of the Panim. If he does not correct them, then one who receives them falls to Hell due to the Dinim in them.

539) The writings are given to Malkiel to correct them before they leave the gate outwards and are given to the appointee in the first palace, since from the moment they have been given to the appointee at the first place, they have departed there, and there is no permission to bring them back to correct them.

540) This is so because an appointee of the Sitra Achra immediately comes—the harsh and strong litigator who is merciless, Sangdiel—over the gate in another palace, of the Sitra Achra, who is Hell. There are several instigators of judgment and sentence appointed to roam the world, ready to execute Din.

541) This is why Malkiel is poised to examine verdicts, and two counters, Shamashiel and Kamuel, count to correct the writings. This is so because certain appointees are appointed in those palaces of the Sitra Achra, opposite of those appointees in the palaces of Kedusha, and all the spirits and appointees in the Sitra Achra are to harm.

542) When Sangdiel takes the writing from the appointee who stands at the first door, he opens a door to the side of darkness, which is called a “grave,” being the first two palaces of the Sitra Achra. There are a thousand and ten thousand appointees there, ready to take those writings, and that appointee, Sangdiel, is over them. At that time the heralds come out, several instigators of Din roam the world, and that Din is completed. For this reason, the appointee, Malkiel, is poised to examine the writings and correct the phrases of the writings before they come out of that door. Also, that door is on the south.

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A thousand and ten thousand are as it is written, “A thousand may fall at your side , and ten thousand at your right; it shall not approach you.” From the perspective of the Dinim of the mitigated Malchut, it is a thousand, which can be made to fall completely, if one is rewarded. From the perspective of the Dinim de Malchut of the harsh Midat ha Din, it is ten thousand, which cannot be made to fall, but only push away so they do not approach to harm.

543) Life and death depend on the second door because all the writings that come out of the courthouse are signed on that door. Here, when the writings have been properly corrected, Gazriel is working, taking the writings and signing.

544) The appointee who stands by this door is Azriel, and each door is named after the appointee appointed over it. Two are operating under Azriel—Sanuria and Adiel—on the right and on the left. Life depends on the one on the right, and death depends on the one on the left. Two signets are in their hands, a signet of life and a signet of death. If he receives the correction of the middle line, so the Hochma illuminates from below upward, he is signed to life. If not, Midat ha Din de Man’ula awakens on him and he is signed to death.

545) That door is blocked all six days, and on Sabbath and the month-day it opens to show life in the signet on which life depends, for on Sabbath and on month, the signet of life exists in them.

546) On Yom Kippur [Day of Atonement], when Israel stand in prayers and litanies, exerting in the work of their Master, that door is blocked until the afternoon prayer. When the afternoon prayer moves from the courthouse in the palace of merit, a single Avir [air] comes out, the door opens, and the appointee in that palace stands. And those two servants, on the right and on the left, the signets of life and death are in their hands, and all the writings of the courthouse in the world are before them. Then they sign for either life or death. This is the door on the east, the middle line.

547) The third door is a door that is poised to know those to whom the Din will pass—to illnesses, pains, poverty. It is not a Din poised for death. When the gate of that door is closed, the Din of that person is written, and it is reverted only by strong prayer and complete repentance, as it is written, “He closes in on a man and will not be opened.” This door is the left line, from which the Dinim extend. However, they are regarded as illnesses and pains, and there is no death in them. Their healing is in the fourth door, where Malchut who is corrected to receive from below upward is found.

548) The appointee who stands over that door is Kaptziel, to close the door on a person who deserves punishment, so he will not be accepted in a prayer until he repents before his Master.

549) When his sons, who did not sin—the little children—are sentenced, the appointee, Iriel, who serves under Kaptziel, comes out and declares to the left until one flawed spirit awakens—Askara—who was created during the diminution of the moon and stands on the fourth degree in the third palace on the side of Tuma’a. He is appointed over the death of infants, and he appears to them as a woman who raises children. She grips them and kills them.

550) The infant’s soul rises and the appointee elevates her to the appointee who stands over the fourth palace, who rears the souls and plays with them, elevating them to be seen before the holy King each Sabbath and each beginning of month. They appear before Him and are blessed by Him. When the anger governs, the Creator looks at them and takes pity on the world.

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551) All the children who did not complete their years—through 13 and one day—are given to the appointee, Iriel. From 13 years to 20 years, they are given to the spirit, Agirison, who comes out of the cunning serpent, the evil inclination, who caused death to the world. From 20 on, a man is sentenced by the courthouse of the place that is called “merit,” the fourth palace. He himself comes to the courthouse and is sentenced for his own iniquities, and he is given to a serpent, the angel of death.

552) This is so because from 20 years down to 13 years, the spirit, Agirison is in him, like a snake that follows him, since he did not take proper care against sin when he was a small child, and saw in him a sign that he would later corrupt. He was taken without permission, as it is written, “There is he who is perished without sentence.” And it is written, “And behold, it was very good,” which is the angel of death, since he rushed to take his soul, before he would later corrupt. The appointee, Kaptziel, who stands over this gate, lets his soul in and elevates it.

553) From 13 years and below, he is sentenced for his father’s sins and is handed over to Askara. The palace of Kedusha is opposite from the palace of the Sitra Achra, one is the opposite of the other, and that door is on the north.

554) The fourth door stands for healing. The appointee, Pdiel, stands in it, from the word, Pidion [redemption]. He is appointed over all the healings in the world, and to admit the prayers of the ones who are in pain, sickness, and grief. He rises with those prayers and brings them in before the Creator.

555) He is an interceding angel, one out of a thousand, since they are a thousand standing by this gate, and Pdiel is one of them. It is written, “He will pardon him and say, ‘Deliver him from going down to the pit; I have found a ransom.’” It is so because he ascends in a prayer and becomes an interceder for the man, mentioning his merit, which he did before the holy King. This one always stands for the better. Hence, all the healings are in this gate on which Pdiel is appointed. That door is to the west, therefore four doors are in that palace, for each has a special role.

556) A spirit called Noga stands and rules over that palace. Every brightness and every craving is in it. That spirit stands for all who have a part in the next world. He crowns those souls with the brightness of glory, so that all those spirits in the other palaces will know that this one belongs in the next world, and she will pass through all the palaces with no one to protest against her.

557) That spirit is purer and clearer than the ones below it. His name is Zahariel, for he is anointed with the oil of the holy ointment, extending from the next world, Bina. He grew and rose out of this oil, and this is a candle, as it is written, “I have set up a candle for my Messiah,” since this is the arrangement to light the candles from below upward when the light that extends from above, from Bina, is on him. It is so because it is set when all those lower ones below are included in him, when the lower palaces rise up to him, and then it is written, “I have set up a candle.”

558) When this spirit is set up and arranged in all those lower ones who rose to it, and it illuminates, it elicits a single light, Ahadiel, included in the spirit, Zahariel. Ahadiel stands below the spirit, Zahariel, to anoint all the ascending souls that have a part in the next world and are worthy of rising.

559) It is so because when the soul rises, she first enters the lower palaces, the palace of the sapphire pavement and the palace of an object of the heaven. She is inscribed in the 22 letters

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of the Torah that were inscribed in that soul. And when the soul is rewarded with rising to this palace and stands before the spirit, Zahariel, the appointee, Ahadiel, anoints her and she rises and enters the river of fire, and from there she ascends and is offered as a sacrifice, to always stand before Atik Yomin.

560) The light, Ahadiel consists of three lights because the anointing oil, which is the light of Bina that came out of there was included in three colors, which are three lines. When this light sparkles, 22 lights sparkle from it, corresponding to the 22 letters of the Torah inscribed in that soul. Those 22 lights are appointees and attendants who stand with Ahadiel, and they are all named after the light, Ahadiel; they are all included in it. That light, Ahadiel, with all those 22 lights, are included in the spirit, Zahariel, and that spirit is included in Ahadiel, and he looks into settling in the fourth palace.

561) When the spirit, Zahariel, is included in the light, Ahadiel, and when the 22 lights pressure the Zivug de Hakaa to sparkle, a holy animal comes out of them, consisting of two colors—lion and eagle—that have merged into a single form, Ahiel.

562) When the light from the upper spirit, Zahariel, reaches that holy animal, four Ophanim emerge, included with all the colors—ox, eagle, lion, and man, which are called Hadriel, Yahadriel, Ahadoria, and Asimon. They all have eight wings, and they are appointed over all the armies in the heaven that engage in war. This is because there is no war in the world, or that Malchut will be uprooted from her place, until the hosts of the heaven and the stars of the rest of the firmaments all show the wars and quarrels with each other. And those four Ophanim stand over them to the four directions.

563) When those four Ophanim journey to engage in wars, they journey from the palace above, the fourth one, where there is the courthouse called “merit.” They emit several armies and innumerable camps of angels from their sweat, and all stand under those Ophanim.

564) Some of them say poems, and some of them are messengers to the world. Opposite those messengers on the side of Tuma’a, who come out of her third palace, slandering the world in order to harm, those messengers in that palace stand opposite from them so they do not rule over those who engage in Torah, as it is written, “For He will give His angels charge over you to guard you.” It is also written, “They will carry you in their hands lest your foot is hit by a stone.” This is a stumbling stone, an obstacle rock. One of Tuma’a is called “a stumbling stone,” “an obstacle rock,” and one of Kedusha is called “a testing stone,” “a costly cornerstone,” “The Rock of Israel.” Everything stands one opposite the other.

565) From the third palace in the Sitra Achra, out come two spirits of anger and wrath. Out of those two come all the messengers that go to deflect people from the path of truth. They are the ones who stand and rush before a person who is walking toward a road of Mitzvot, in order to obstruct him. Those Ophanim stand opposite them to protect the person so he is not harmed by them. Moses feared those two spirits when he came down from the mountain, as it is written, “For I was in dread of the anger and the wrath.”

566) In the middle of that palace is another place, which stands up above in four doors to the four directions. There are ten appointees over each door, and one appointee over them. That appointee is included in the light, Ahadiel, and those are Ophan [singular of Ophanim] within Ophan, interwoven in one another.

567) Those 40 appointees receive Din from the palace of merit, to strike that soul who sinned, and they should beat her. They stand in flames of fire of those souls and fly out of that palace,

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striking that soul. The soul stands outside, rebuked, during all those days that she was sentenced, and does not enter the curtain, the partition of the palace.

568) Those 40 appointees stand and rebuke, and cast boycotts of all those who have uttered a needless word, and promptly uttered a holy word of Torah, defiling their mouths with it. They stand and excommunicate them, and they remain in that boycott for 40 days, their prayer unaccepted.

569) It is likewise with all those who sinned sins for which they must be reprimanded. Ten heralds come out each day, declaring through all the firmaments and all the armies, and all the camps of angels, “Beware of so and so, for he is rebuked for so and so sin that he committed,” until he repents before his Master.

570) When he repents that sin, those 40 appointees gather and release him from that reproach. Then they declare about him, “The reproach has been released from so and so.” Henceforth, the prayer enters. But as long as he did not repent, he is rebuked above and below, and the keeping from his Master is removed from him. Even at night, when his soul departs and wishes to come up, his soul is rebuked, all the gates of heaven are blocked before her, she does not rise, and she is repelled outside.

571) When that Ophan, appointed over those 40 appointees, travels, he reaches a place called “the runners’ chamber.” When he enters, the 40 appointees over the four doors enter with him and raise all those gold shields. These are angels that are called HASHMALIM, and they are shields, and swords, and spears that run to protect Israel from the rest of the nations, to wage war against them, and to avenge them timely, without delay.

572) This is why it is called “the runners’ chamber,” a place where they run, since they run and rush to fight and avenge vengeances. They correspond to other runners, who run to harm and weaken man’s fortunes to govern them, as it is written, “The runners left in haste.” There are runners from the side of Kedusha, and there are runners from the side of the Sitra Achra. Because of them, either “And the city of Shushan shouted and rejoiced” or “And the city of Shushan was perplexed.” If the runners of Kedusha here are first, the city of Shushan rejoices. If the runners of the Sitra Achra are first, the city of Shushan is perplexed.

573) In the palace, they stand opposite one another, Kedusha opposite the Sitra Achra. This is why the runners here protect everything. When they ascend and integrate with one another, one Avir comes out from above and they all become one shield, as it is written, “I am a shield to you.”

574) The 12 wheels turning in this palace are called “seraphim” in two colors, white and red, Rachamim and Din. They are always poised to watch over the sorrowful, whom the rest of the nations afflict and oppress. They are called “windows,” as it is written, “Watching over through the windows.”

575) They stand to observe those who pray their prayer, and come early to the synagogue [house of gathering] to be counted among the first ten. Then the seraphim rise up and write them above because the first ten are considered their friends, as it is written, “Friends are listening to your voice, let me hear it.”

576) Happy are the righteous who know how to set up their prayer properly because when that prayer begins to rise, those angels rise along with that prayer and enter the firmaments and palaces up to the gate to the upper door, and a prayer enters to be crowned before the King.

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577) All those who pray prayers and sanctify their Master wholeheartedly, that prayer should elicit from the thought and by the will of speech and spirit. Then the name of the Creator is sanctified, and when the prayer reaches the angels, who are friends, they all take the prayer and go with it up to the seventh palace, to the door that is there. Those angels praise the Creator when Israel pray prayers and sanctify to the Creator. At daytime, they are the appointees during the day, who were appointed to praise along with the people of Israel, to be friends with them. At night, they are friends to those other ones, who say poems at night.

578) It is written, “He who robs his father and his mother and says, ‘There is no transgression,’ he is a friend of a man who destroys.” This is so because he prevents blessings from the Creator, who is his father, as it is written, “Ask your father and he will tell you.” It is also written, “Your father will be glad.”

579) “He is a friend of a man who destroys.” This “Man who destroys” flawed the moon, Malchut. The Sitra Achra, who is called “a capricious man,” “a slanderer,” “a hunter,” “a man of the field.” This is a man who destroys because he prevents blessings from the world. Here, too, one who prevents blessings from the world is a friend of a man who destroys because a man should bless the Creator and pray a proper prayer, to sanctify His holy name, and connect to those holy friends, the angels. One should not blemish his prayer because if he blemishes his prayer he will prevent blessings from the world and bond with a friend who is a man who destroys, preventing blessings from the world and causing everyone death.

580) It is written, “And joins a friend.” That friend is one who follows the Sitra Achra and does magic, drawing over himself an impure spirit, bonding in the bonding of the bad friend, and being in a bond with that friend, the man who destroys. He is called “a friend” because when a person is born, the Sitra Achra bonds with him, the evil inclination, and he is always friends with him. Afterwards the friend turns for him into a man who destroys.

581) And so there is a good friend on the side of Kedusha, on the right side, who does good to a person in this world and in the next world. Those angel friends always stand by a person in a bonding to save him and protect him, to be friends with him, to sanctify the name of their Master, and to always sing and praise before Him.

582) Four other pillars in two colors come out of those 12 seraphim in two colors, adjacent to those 12 seraphim. They are friends. Those four pillars stand one opposite the other, advising how to harm the righteous, though they are not yet doing, and rising and notifying the matter above, canceling that counsel. They are called Erelim [angels]. And although they are all appointed to it, still, each one was appointed and given charge over certain specific things. And under those, there are innumerable angels.

583) Those four Erelim stand toward the four directions, each one standing to watch over Israel. They are called “slits,” as it is written, “Peering through the slits.” Also, the 12 seraphim are called “windows.” The names of the slits are Iga’al, Iriah, Ariel, and Yahirael. Iga’al stands to the east, to watch over those who do good deeds, and all who think thoughts of Mitzva, even though they cannot perform.

584) Iriah stands to the south, watching over those comforting the poor, or whose heart is aching for him although they cannot give to him, and to those who walk on the path of Mitzva, and those who do Hesed unto the dead and keep a true Hesed. He is appointed on mentioning him above and engraving his form above, bringing him to the next world.

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585) Ariel stands to the north, watching over those who contemplate doing harm but did not, or who wished to sin and came to commit the sin, but prevailed over their inclination and did not.

586) Yahirael stands to the west, watching over those who engage in Torah, bringing their sons to their teacher’s house to engage in Torah, and over all those who examine the sick in the house where he is ill. They watch over him and notify him that he should look into his sins and works, and repent them before his Master, since anyone who is looking at a sick person, if he examines his works and repents before the Creator, he causes him to be saved and for his spirit to be returned to him.

587) It is written about it, “Happy is he who educates the poor; the Lord will save him in the day of evil.” “In the day of evil” means in the day when evil rules, to take his soul. “Happy is he who educates the poor” is a sick one, as it is written, “Why are you so poor, O son of the king?” For this reason, “The Lord will save him in the day of evil.” Those are those who look at a sick one to return him to the Creator in repentance for his sins. Angel Yahirael stands in that palace, to watch over him. In a day when Din is on the world, he will escape it, as it is written, “The Lord will save him in the day of evil.” In the day when the Din is given to that evil one, the angel of death, to rule over him, “The Lord will save him,” and all those four Erelim are standing to watch over, which is why they are called “slits.”

588) On Rosh Hashanah [New Year’s Day], when the Creator stands in Din over the world and the Sitra Achra comes to slander, all 12 seraphim and four Erelim gather and stand before the Creator. They crown themselves and stand before the Creator. At that time, it is written, “Watching over through the windows, peering through the slits.” “Peering,” since he is peeping through a thin place, seeing and not seeing all that he needs to. “Watching over through the windows,” the place of watching, opening doors to have mercy on all. When the Creator watches over the world, He looks through those windows and those slits and takes pity on all.

589) When Israel blow the Shofar [a ram’s horn blown to make a special trumpet sound] and a voice awakens from below—coming out of the Shofar, which consists of fire, water, and wind, and everything turns into sound to evoke the upper sound, ZA, emerging from the Shofar, Bina, which likewise consists of fire, water, and wind, three lines—the herald comes out and declares in all the firmaments, saying, “The voice of my beloved, behold, he is coming.” And he says, “Watching over through the windows, peering through the slits.”

590) Then everyone knows that the Creator has pity over Israel, and they say, “Happy are Israel, for they have a counsel in the earth, to blow the Shofar to evoke mercy above.” Then it is written, “Happy is the people that knows the shout,” who break the shout, a harsh Din in which everyone is sentenced. Happy are Israel in this world and in the next world because they know the ways of the Creator and know how to walk in His ways and to properly unify the unification.

591) Those windows, the seraphim, and those slits, the Erelim, are all poised to unite all the prayers that rise from below upward, to watch over them and to bring them before the Creator. Therefore, any synagogue in which there are no windows is not a place in which to pray properly.

592) The synagogue below corresponds to the synagogue above. The synagogue above has windows and likewise below. This is because above, in the great synagogue, the palace, there are 12 high windows, 12 seraphim. Likewise in the lower synagogue. It all stands one

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opposite the other because the worlds stand one opposite the other, imprinted from one another, and all that is in the seal, exists in what is imprinted from it, and the Creator rises in His glory in everything. For this reason, “The Lord will save him in the day of evil,” meaning that when the evil side rules, the Lord will save him through the windows and slits.

593) Likewise, the appointee, Yahirael stands over those who are merciful toward the poor, as it is written, “Happy is he who educates the poor.” Poor means meager, which is why everything is in this palace, and this palace is included in the fourth palace, where there are the decrees and judgments for all. Happy is he who knows the secrets of his Master, to unify Him, and to always sanctify the name of his Master, to reward him in this world and in the next world.

The Palace of Merit, Gevura594) The fourth palace is called “merit,” and the Creator’s governance in the earth is known by it. This is the one that is poised to keep the ways of Torah. All the Dinim of the world are judged in it, and all the merits are in it, as well as all the demerits, punishments, and all the good reward for those who keep the Mitzvot of the Torah.

595) The palace of merit is different from all other palaces. Four palaces are included in it, which are different from one another, and they are all one. In this palace, there is a spirit, Zechut El [Merit of God], and the palace is named after it, Zechut [merit]. Also, this is El, for here all the Dinim of the world are judged, as it is written, “God has indignation every day.”

596) The four palaces included in the palace of merit have doors. A high appointee, Sansania, stands outside the first door of that palace, and over him is another appointee, to the left, taking Dinim from Sansania to his palace to awaken and to make Dinim in the world. And because he takes from him, he, too, is called Sansania. He governs that spirit, Askara, of the infants.

597) When the superior appointee, Sansania, who stands outside the first door in that palace, receives a Din, he declares to all the appointees that stand in the 12 doors of this palace, and they are the heralds who declare all those Dinim that are judged in that palace of merit.

598) The spirit that takes everything, and which is called Zechut El, everything is included in him, 70 sparkling lights come out of him, all standing in a circle, to be seen, and to not cover one another. All the merits, all the punishments, and all the Dinim stand before all those lights.

599) Two lights come out of the 70 lights, always standing before the 70 lights. The 70 lights and the two lights that stand before them are inside, in the middle of the palace. In that palace, the demerits and merits merge.

600) Corresponding to these 72 lights, 72 other ones come out from the right side, and 72 other ones from the left side. The first, inner 72, are inside, in the middle of the palace. All the merits and all the demerits come to be purified before the inner lights. All the deeds in the world come from those 72 inner lights. It follows that all the lights that come from the upper spirit Zechut El, are 216 lights, for three times 72 is 216, and they are all included in that spirit.

601) Two lights that stand before the 70 always testify a testimony and write verdicts of merit or demerit. Those 70 sentence sentences and judge judgments, and all the judgments in the world are here, for better and for worse.

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602) The three letters Yod-Hey-Vav are inscribed in the spirit, Zechut El, clinging to it from above. When those letters cling to that place of Dvekut [adhesion] of male in female—since Yod-Hey-Vav are HGT, and they are male, and Zechut El is female—then those letters are inscribed in the spirit, Zechut El. Here David says, “And my God the rock of my refuge.” Elohay [My God] has the letters of El Yod-Hey-Vav, which is the spirit, El. The letters inscribed in it are called Yod-Hey-Vav. Those are three sides of the lights, three times 72 on the right, left, and middle, where right and left are Yod-Hey, and the middle, inner one is Vav.

603) Afterwards, one light comes out and illuminates to four sides. This light elicits three other lights, which are the three courthouses. The first 72 lights are for soul sentences, and the three courthouses are for other things, which are not soul sentences. Accordingly, it follows that those three courthouses are the two external 72 on the right and on the left. These three courthouses divide from the inner 72 to sentence the matters of the world in wealth, poverty, disease, and in complete health.

It is so because those four palaces are set up for all those other Dinim, as well. Two palaces are to the two other sides of the light, meaning the two 72 on the right and on the left, which are three courthouses that sentence other sentences. There is one palace for all those with eyes, who calculate all the deeds of the world, even soul sentences, which is the middle, inner 72, and there is one palace for other counters, who are under those first, internal ones. Those four palaces are included in the palace of merit.

604) At each of those palaces is an appointee. In the first door is an appointee, Gazriel, appointed over the Dinim that were judged and sentenced, to disclose them to the first appointee, Sansania, who stands outside that door. The other appointee, who stands on the palace of the Sitra Achra, takes from him and stands on the disease, diabetes, in children.

605) The appointee, Gazriel, takes the matter that the inner courthouse sentenced and informs the appointee Sansania, who is outside the door, and all those heralds declare and say through all the firmaments, “So and so was decreed from the King’s house,” until they take the matter in the third palace, below. From there they go out and declare the matter until it is heard through all the lower firmaments, and they come down and notify the matter to everyone below.

606) All the lower ones take the matter from degree to degree. Even the fowl of the sky and the fowl of the earth take the matter and notify in the world, until all those evokers of Din and judgment take the matter and appear to people in a dream. And the matter comes for the near time.

607) Sometimes, when the matter should be known to the kings of the earth, the appointees on nourishing and leading nations notify the matter down to the firmament in which there is the sun below. The matter stands there until the appointees of the sun, appointed over the sun, take the matter and notify the upper appointees in the Sitra Achra, and they notify the matter to the kings of the earth, who are on their side.

608) When there were prophets in Israel, they would take their prophecy from the two upper pillars, NH, to which the Torah, ZA, is adjacent. After the prophets departed from the world and visionaries and dreamers arrived, they would take the matter from its place. When there were kings in Israel and the prophets departed, and the dreamers and visionaries were not present, those kings would be notified of the matter from the first door in that palace.

609) How do the kings of Israel take the matter from that high place? Each degree and each door have certain appointees above, appointed in all those firmaments until they descend to

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the lower firmaments and notify the matter to those they should. It is so because out of those palaces—which are on the side of Kedusha and faith—degrees depart downward, all in faith, and degrees descend until they flourish in this world and are appointed in it.

610) Some appointees are to keep people from the Sitra Achra, from the harms of the world and in the ways they go, to help people when they come to be purified, to make tokens and miracles in the world. Some of them are poised to examine people’s actions, to testify a testimony above. Also, several degrees separate into their Behinot, and it is all in the upper faith, upper Kedusha.

611) It is likewise, in the Sitra Achra, the side of Tuma’a: degrees part from the palaces of Tuma’a downward. All are degrees to harm, to deflect the world, to stray people from the good way to a bad way, to defile those people who have come to be defiled. A person who comes to be defiled is defiled in this world and defiled in that world. They are also called “boiling feces,” as it is written, “You shall say to it, ‘Get out!’” Those degrees are poised to defile most, which is why they are always before those who come to be defiled.

612) In the second door, to the right, Dahariel is appointed on letting in all the merits with which people have been rewarded so the person will be sentenced favorably for them. When the merits are more than the iniquities, the appointee, Dahariel, is appointed over the reward and the portion of those merits and their good reward.

613) He executes the judgment favorably, and appoints the appointee Pdiel, in the third palace, telling him, “Redeem him from going to the pit.” This is because when a person is on the deathbed, caught in the King’s prison, the person is sentenced, and all the merits and demerits he had done in this world enter that palace to be tried there.

614) When he is sentenced favorably, his favorable sentence comes out through that door, to the right of the appointee, Dahariel, who stands at that door. His good sentence is announced until he is saved and healed from his sickness, and the judgment comes down through all the appointees, who are degrees that are known as good below, degrees by degrees until reaching the person in this world. And everything, for better or for worse, a person is judged from the King’s house.

615) In the third door, to the left, is the appointee Gdiel, letting in all the transgressions and all the ills that a person followed in this world, and lowering them down to the scale to weigh them with those merits that were let in by the appointee Dahariel.

616) If those scales stand at the fourth door, and merits and sins are weighed together there, whomever wins has appointees from that side. If the merits win, several appointees on the right side take the Din and remove ills and sicknesses from that person until he is saved. If the transgressions win, he has several appointees on the left side until the Sitra Achra takes the matter and all those who evoke Din and law, until his fortune wanes. At that time that side comes down and takes his soul. Happy are the righteous in this world and in the next world.

617) In the fourth door stands the appointee Moznia, the Moznaim [scales] that takes merits and demerits, and in which they are all weighed together. He is called “scales of justice,” and all are weighed to be tried by it.

618) There are two appointees under the appointee Moznia. To the right is Hariel, and to the left is Gdudiel. When merits and demerits are weighed, the one on the right sentences to the right, and the one on the left sentences to the left, and all are included in the spirit called Zechut El.

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619) When all are included in Zechut El, he brings out one flaming animal, Tumiel, which is poised to watch over in the world, inside the eyes of the Lord that walk and roam the world. The eyes of the Lord take Providence from good deeds that were done in hiding, noticing those deeds that are in wholeheartedness, even if they were not done properly.

620) This animal is poised to watch over the prayers because all the requests that people ask in their prayers stand in its hands, and it places them in that palace. Those requests stand in that palace up to 40 days to be watched over.

621) Every 40 days, that animal comes out and takes all the prayers, placing them before 72 lights, and they are sentenced. Then the spirit Zechut El, examines them—whether the person is innocent or not innocent. If he is innocent, that prayer comes out, that request rolls, and 12 appointees come out with it, each demanding of the spirit for the prayer to be granted. Thus, by them, it is granted.

622) Four seraphim blaze under the animal—Seraphel, Brakiel, Krishiael, and Kdumia—to the four directions. They are appointed on keeping those who observe the Sabbath day and properly delight the Sabbath.

623) When those four seraphim travel, sparks of fire come out of them, and 72 wheels are made out of those sparks, blazing with fire. From here the river of fire is made. A thousand thousands will tend to that river. The four appointed seraphim observe all who delight the Sabbath, the animal, Tumiel, stands over them, and they travel through it, under it.

624) Each day, the river of fire extends and burns spirits and rulers. When the Sabbath comes, a herald comes out, the river of fire calms, and the storms, flickers, and glimmers calm. That animal goes and rises above those four seraphim, entering the middle of the palace in the place called “delight.”

625) All the tables of all the people in the world, who are called “the King’s children,” are set there in the place of delight when the Sabbath begins. A thousand thousands and ten thousand ten thousands stand by these tables, and this animal, which is superior to the four seraphim, enters that place, sees all those tables, and looks at each table—how each table is delighted. It stands and blesses that table, and all those thousand thousands and ten thousand ten thousands begin and say, “Amen.”

626) It blesses over the table, which is properly blessed and delighted, as it is written, “Then you shall delight in the Lord ... for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” They all say, “Then shall you call and the Lord will answer.” And when the table is delighted on all three meals, the superior spirit, called Zechut El, finishes with the last meal and says about the first, “Then shall your light break forth as the dawn ... the glory of the Lord shall be your reward.” All those 70 other lights on all three sides start and say, “Behold, a man who fears the Lord shall be blessed.”

627) When a person’s table is not present in that place, called “delight,” in a setting of delight as it should be, that animal and those four seraphim under it, and all those thousand thousands and ten thousand ten thousands push him outside, to the Sitra Achra. Then several evokers of Din and law take and put him in a place that is the opposite of the letters Oneg [pleasure/delight], and which is called Nega [affliction]. When he is put in there, they say, “He loves cursing and it came to him, and he does not desire blessing, and it turns away from him.” “Let the creditor root out all that he has; and let strangers loot his labor. Let there be none to extend kindness to him.”

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628) Because the Sabbath delight is faith in the Creator, which is the delight of Divinity, who is called “faith,” those four seraphim who stand under the animal are opposite the river of fire. They do not leave all who delight the Sabbath, special times, and occasions properly, to be burned in it.

629) Under those four seraphim are other appointees who are standing outside, convened on the side of that palace, and declaring all the judgments and all the decrees that were sentenced in that palace.

630) Everything is judged here except three things that the palace of merit was not permitted to judge. Those are sons, life, and nourishment. This is because those three are not here, since they depend on luck, since the river that stretches out is Yesod de ZA, whose root is from Dikna de AA, on which life above depends, on which nourishment depends, and on which sons depend. It is so because those three come out of there, drip down, and extend downward. This is why everything is found in this palace except for those three.

631) When a person is on the deathbed, he is sentenced here, and so are the rest of the judgments in the world. But if a man on the deathbed is sentenced to life, it is given to him. So how can we say that sons, life, and nourishment do not depend on here? However, this does not mean that life depends on here, but that when he is sentenced to life here, life extends from above, from the luck, and is given to him. Happy are the righteous who know the ways of Torah and are rewarded by it with eternal life. It is written about them, “And you people are all righteous; they shall forever inherit the land.”

The Palace of Love, Hesed632) The fifth palace is poised to illuminate to the lower ones with faith. It has one door, and its appointee, Sanguria, stands by the door to advocate, which is a good reference about Israel before their Master, and the Sitra Achra will not rule over them.

633) There is one spirit in the palace, comprising four colors—white, black, green, and red, HG TM—a spirit included in all of them. He is called Suria, the minister of all the armies of the lower ones. They are all under him and are appointed while being in his possession.

634) All the keys are given to that spirit who closes and opens, all the armies of the lower ones are included and stand under him, nourished by him. He is into all of his Master’s secrets, and they are all given to him.

635) That spirit is called “love.” For this reason, that palace is called “the palace of love,” for here the secret of secrets is concealed for those who need to obtain it. It is a secret here, as it is written, “There I will give my love to you.”

636) That spirit keeps all the keeping above, and he is called “the keeper of Israel,” “keeper of the covenant,” since here is the keeping of all the upper treasures. Hence, the secrets of his Master are hidden in it. From it, trails and roads come out to those below, to evoke in them the spirit of love.

637) The four colors in him are included in one another. When they wish to be included, they strike each other, and one holy animal, called “radiance,” comes out of all of them. It is written about it, “This is the animal which I saw by the river Chebar.”

638) From that palace comes forth all the holy spirits who exist on the existence of the upper kissing, since out of those kissing comes the air of the wind, to keep the soul [Nefesh] for all those high souls [Neshamot] that were placed in people, as it is written, “For man lives by

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everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord.” This is so because in that palace are all the souls and all the spirits destined to come down to people since the day when the world was created. Hence, that palace holds all those souls that are born out of that river that stretches out, Yesod de ZA. And because of it, that palace is never empty.

639) Since the day when the Temple was ruined, no other souls entered here. And when those run out, when all the souls in the palace come down to clothe in people, the palace will be empty and will be absent from above. At that time the Messiah King will come, and that palace above, Malchut, will awaken, and the palace below will awaken to disclose His kingship in this world.

640) It is written about that palace, “Your two breasts [Shadaim] are like two fawns.” There is the spirit, Ahava [love], and that animal, Zohar [radiance]. By their Hitkalelut, it emits two lights included in one another, connecting in one another, and they are called El Shadai [usually translated as God Almighty, but can also mean “my breasts”]. Those two lights are called Shadai and El, from the palace below, which is called Zechut El. They conjoin and enter one another, and it is called El Shadai because it came out of those Shadaim [breasts].

641) The name El is from the right side, taking from that place all the Rachamim that are poised to feed the palace below, which is called Zechut, after the spirit in it. The name Shadai nurses all the lower ones, the palaces, and those outside, who stand on that side and are called “the stakes of the tabernacle.” This is why he is called Shadai because he gives nourishments to all the lower ones, as he receives from the right side.

642) From here come the lights that are called “The flaming sword that turns every way,” since they turn into several colors and awaken by a mission of above. In the world, they are from the left side. When that spirit, Love, spreads, he beats to elicit lights to all the sides—to the right and to the left—like those breasts that pour out milk to every side. Likewise, lights come out of that spirit to every side, and they elicit another animal, appointed over those who are called “The flaming sword that turns every way.”

643) This one is appointed over the world when hunger is appointed over the world. That animal brings out the spirit of food to all those with faith so they do not starve to death, since when hunger rules in the world, two spirits of Tuma’a come out from the Sitra Achra. They are called Shod [robbery] and Kafan [starvation]. They stand in the world and slander people. One, Shod, sends them hunger and they die; and one, which is Kafan, is when people eat without being full because an evil spirit is ruling over the world.

644) That animal elicited a spark that comes out of the sparkling of two sparks that turn into several colors, at times female and at times male. That spark is called “seraphim,” and it grips them and blazes in them.

645) There are two appointees in that palace. Those are lights that stand over a thousand and ten thousand ten thousands, which are called “vineyards,” and a thousand and ten thousand ten thousands that are called pomegranates. They all stand in love, and they are the ones who bring love between Israel below and the Creator above. All of them evoke love and stand in love. And when the love from below upward and from above downward awakens, the palace is filled with several goods, several Hassadim, and several Rachamim. At that time the love below and the love above cling to one another, meaning the letters Bet-Hey below cling to the letters Aleph-Hey above [creating the word Ahava, “love”].

646) From here come two appointees called “love,” after the palace. They are poised to watch over those who unify the unification of their Master with love, and devote their souls to Him

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with love, rising and testifying above. And all who do Hesed in the world, those Hassadim rise and enter that palace, where they are crowned and rise up to be crowned in the superior love. It is written about it, “For Your mercy is great above the heavens.” It is written about that palace, “Many waters cannot quench the love.”

The Palace of Desire, Tifferet647) The sixth palace is called “the palace of desire,” a desire called “[that which] proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord.” This is a joy of Dvekut of everything, and here is the desire of all the desires, as it is written, “Your lips are like a thread of scarlet.” It is a desire of all the souls that come out from what proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord.

648) In the palace of desire, all the wishes and all the requests in the world are granted because it is the wish of all the wishes, when there are kisses, as it is written, “And Jacob kissed Rachel.” Then, when they kiss one another, it is called “a time of good will,” since then there is the wholeness and all the faces illuminate. When the prayers rise, it is a time of good will to be present. It is written about it, “And I, my prayer is to You, O Lord, a time of good will,” which is bonding in kisses.

649) There are six doors in that palace, four doors to the four directions, HG TM, one above, and one below, NH. In those doors, Raziel—a great spirit—was appointed over all the appointees in all the doors. He was appointed and deposited with all the upper secrets that are spoken mouth to mouth, which kiss one another in the love of love.

650) These secrets are not about to reveal, but when the gates open, all the palaces, all the spirits, and all the camps know that the gates of good will have been opened. But only desires of the prayers enter those gates, desires of praises, desires of the high, holy souls.

651) It is a palace of Moses. In this palace, Moses was gathered in love and kissed kisses in a death of kiss. In this palace, “Moses spoke and God answered him with a voice.”

652) When those who kiss kisses cling to one another in a kiss, it is written about it, “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth.” There are kisses of joy and love only when clinging to one another mouth-to-mouth, spirit-to-spirit, satiating each other with every indulgence and with joy from the upper illumination.

653) Moses will speak, as it is written, “You are beautiful, my wife.” It is also written, “Your lips are like a thread of scarlet.” These are the words of ZA to Divinity, “And God answered him with a voice,” as it is written, “You are beautiful, my beloved, and also pleasant.” It is also written, “His lips are lilies, dripping with flowing myrrh.” These are the words of Divinity to ZA.

654) All the secrets of the upper souls—evoking the craving of love above and below together, in ZON, raising MAN—have been given to the hands of the spirit, Raziel. These are high souls such as Rabbi Akiva and his friends, the Martyrs [ten sages executed by the Romans], who did not draw near to bathing in the river of fire as do the rest of the souls, who bathe there and go through it, for because of their great sanctity, they did not need to.

655) The spirit, Raziel, elicited 12 lights, all standing under that spirit. Four upper lights stand to the four directions, governing the four directions. To the south stands one upper light, the right side of the entire world, from which Israel begin to unite in faith. This is Michael, the minister of the power of the upper lights that come down from the south, Hesed, where the light stands in its power.

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656) Michael, the light of the right, is the great guardian, watching over Israel. When the Sitra Achra is poised to slander Israel, Michael argues with him and becomes a defendant, speaking in favor of Israel, and they are saved from the slandering of the head of the enemies of Israel.

657) The exception was when Jerusalem was ruined, for then the iniquities prevailed and Michael could not prevail over the Sitra Achra, since Michael’s arguments for Israel were broken. Then it is written, “He has drawn back His right from before the enemy.”

658) To the north, a light stands to cancel the Din from the fourth palace, giving the canceling of the Din to the appointee over by the door. By the door stand appointees on the side of Tuma’a, waiting for the appointee to take the Din. Sometimes the light on the north makes the Din by itself, and is not given into the hands of the Sitra Achra because all the Dinim that were made by it have healing. In those places, the Creator executes Hesed even though they are on the left.

659) The light on the north is Gabriel. Wherever he strikes there is Hesed because Gabriel is on two sides, included in Gevura and in Hesed. This is why there are strikes, as well as healing in him, as it is written, “As a man chastens his son, the Lord your God chastens you.” These are the pains of love, consisting of Gevura and of Hesed.

660) On the east stands the light Rafael, who is in every Refua [healing], to bring before the Creator all who were forgotten in the house of their illness from healing in time, and to bring nearer the time and the end to those illnesses that were complemented by their faith. The illnesses faithfully keep at the time they are allotted. They do not wish to depart prematurely. But he asks that they will go prematurely, and he circles the world each day to complement healing by his Master’s command. Rafael is also to the west, gripping to the side of Michael and to the side of Gabriel, for he is the middle line, Tifferet, comprising both lines, right and left, Michael and Gabriel.

661) He is appointed when the person is sentenced to life in the fourth palace. Then he brings the healing first. That healing comes out of the distress, the illness, for if he were not sick, he would not need healing because it comes out of two sides, Hesed and Din. The distress, the illness, comes from the left side, and the healing is from the right. Therefore, the sick one for whom the healing has come, it came to him out of great distress.

662) So it is from the west side, for the healing comes also from the west, since the west, which is Malchut, consists of all the lights in the three lines. And although Rafael is on the east, as well as on the west, still, healing and life come from the east because from there life extends downward, to Malchut, which is the west.

663) On the west, there is a light called Nuriel. This is Uriel. He consists of all, and stands to be a messenger in every thing. The west is Malchut, which consists of three lines. He has three sides, three lines, but they are two because each is included in the other, which are primarily right line and left line. But the middle line is only an inclusion of the two lines and does not add to them. It follows that there are no more than two lines. Also, they are four lower Yesodot [pl. of Yesod]—three lines and Malchut who receives them—from the four Yesodot of the world in Bina, which are higher than all. And because they all connect to one another, the text implies, “I went down into the garden of nuts, to see the fresh blossoms by the stream,” since the Moach [marrow] of a nut splits into four parts that are connected together.

664) 12 lights stand in the spirit Raziel, who is in wholeness over them. These are four upper lights that stand in the four directions—Michael, Gabriel, Rafael, and Uriel. Below them are

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eight other lights, to be in wholeness, for they are all one wholeness. When they all expand, they are three to each side because when the four lights in the four directions HG TM are included in one another into one wholeness, each of them has only HGT, which are three lines illuminating in HG TM, and four times three is 12.

665) These four pillars, four lights, are poised to rise and unite that palace in a place called “heaven,” Tifferet de Atzilut, uniting the kisses in one another. Under those there are several degrees, all of which come out of those four bottom Yesodot, from four lights—Michael, Gabriel, Rafael, and Uriel. Some of them come out from the side of water, Hesed, Michael, some of them from the side of fire, Gevura, Gabriel, some from the side of Ruach, Tifferet, Rafael, and some from the side of dust, Malchut, Uriel.

666) Likewise, four went into an orchard and all were sorted into that place, into the four Yesodot. Each was tied to his place—one to the side of fire, one to the side of water, one to the side of wind, and one to the side of dust. They all drowned, each in his Yesod, as they entered, except for the wholeness, the Hassid [inclined to Hesed, but also “pious”], who came from the right side, Hesed, and clung to the right and rose up. And he is Rabbi Akiva.

667) When he reached a place called “palace of love,” he clung to it with the heart’s desire. He said, “This palace should be attached to the palace above, to ‘great love,’ in Hesed de Atzilut.” Then he was completed with faith, rose, and complemented the small love, Malchut, with the great love, Hesed, as it should be. This is the reason why he died with love and his soul departed in this verse, “And you shall love the Lord your God.” Happy is he.

668) All those other ones went down and were punished in that Yesod that went down. Elisha went down on the left side, Yesod of fire, Gevura. He went down in it and did not come up. He met the Sitra Achra, who is called “another god,” was denied repentance, and was expelled from there because he clung to him. This is why he is called “another.”

669) Ben Azai went down by the Yesod, dust, which corresponds to Malchut. Before he arrived at the burning of the fire in the dust, in the Dinim in him, which comes to the Sitra Achra, he drowned in that dust and died. It is written about it, “Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of His saints,” for he died when he was a Hassid and did not touch the Dinim.

670) Ben Zuma went down to the Yesod, wind [also “spirit”] corresponding to Tifferet. He met another spirit, which comes to the side of Tuma’a, who is called “evil occurrence.” Because of it, it hurt him and he did not settle in it, meaning he was hurt.

None of them was saved from punishment. Solomon said about it, “There is a vanity which is done upon the earth: that there are righteous men, unto whom it happens according to the work of the wicked,” for because these went down those degrees, those were punished. That is, they extended the illumination of Hochma from above downward, which is called “a descent.”

671) Because Rabbi Akiva went up, extending illumination from below upward, he entered unharmed and came out unharmed. David asked a question and it was not resolved for him. It is written, “From dead men, O Lord, from dead men from the world, some of whom are alive.” He asked, “Why were those righteous ones killed among the slain of the world? After all, they were innocent; they committed no transgression for which to be punished?” “From dead men, O Lord, from dead men from the world, some of whom are alive.” There are two kinds of death here: “Your hand, O Lord,” and “The world.” “Your hand, O Lord” is the Creator, to whom the soul is gathered. “From dead men from the world” is the Sitra Achra,

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who controls the body, as it is written, “I will look on man no more among dwellers of Hadel [ceasing],” the letters of Heled [world], meaning who sit under the Sitra Achra, who is called “ceasing.”

672) The souls of the ten martyrs are to complement the holy spirit, ZA de Atzilut. They have ten spirits below corresponding to the ten Sefirot de ZA, and their Guf [body] is given to the wicked Malchut. Each takes his portion, as with the offerings.

673) The top of the beginning of faith, Keter, is in the thought, Hochma. The strong spark, Bina, beat and rose inside the thought. Bina went up to Hochma and they mated and produced sparks—illumination of Hochma out of the thought. He threw the sparks into 320 directions and sorted the waste out of the thought, and it was sorted.

After GAR de Nekudim came out, meaning KHB, HB mated and begot Daat and ZAT de Nekudim, Daat HGT NHYM. It was said about them, “And rose inside the thought,” producing sparks, which are the eight kings. Because they were drawn from above downward, from Atzilut to BYA, they broke and died, the lights returned to the Emanator, and the Kelim fell to the Sitra Achra. It was said, “He threw the sparks into 320 directions,” meaning they broke into 320 Behinot.

This is so because eight kings broke, each having four Behinot HB TM, which are 32 Behinot, and in each Behina from among them there are ten Sefirot, which is 320. Afterwards he sorted the waste out of the thought, expanding that cause that extended the Hochma from above downward, which caused the shattering, and it was sorted. Then they were corrected once more.

674) Similarly, with the ten martyrs there was the breaking of the vessels, hence the souls—which are the lights—went up to ZA, and the Kelim, which are the Guf, were given over to the Sitra Achra, the wicked Malchut. Those among them who needed to be completed were sorted, meaning the souls were sorted into MAN for ZA, who was completed by them and rose to the thought, that is, they extended illumination of Hochma from the thought, Hochma. It is all as it should be, joy because of the ascent of the souls, and sadness because the bodies were given to the Sitra Achra.

675) It is written, “And I commended the joy,” for a man has nothing better under the sun than to eat, and drink, and be merry, and He will accompany him in his labor, the days of his life which God has given him under the sun.” Did King Solomon commend rejoicing and eating and drinking? Rather, “And I commended the joy” is the joy of the holy King when He rules, on Sabbath and on good days. This is because of all the good deeds that one does, there is nothing good for a person under the sun, except to eat and drink, and show gladness on the side of Kedusha, so he would have a portion in the next world.

676) “And He will accompany him in his labor.” Who will accompany him? It is the Creator, who will accompany him and walk with him, admitting him into the next world. Another interpretation: A person who has eaten, drank, and was merry, everything that he spent in expenses, eating and drinking, he—the person—will lend Him, lending to the Creator, and the Creator will give him twice what he spent on Sabbath and good days.

By those two, a man lends to the Creator: 1) when having mercy for the poor, 2) when spending on Sabbath and good days. It is so because everything is a loan to the Creator, as it is written, “He who lends to the Lord pardons the poor, and He will pay him his reward.”

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677) For this reason, this, the Kedusha, is glad, and that, the Sitra Achra, is sad. This is good, and that is bad; this is the Garden of Eden, and that is Hell. The Kedusha is opposite from the Sitra Achra. Therefore, the body of the ten martyrs is in sadness, for it was killed, and the soul is in gladness, for she rose and clung to the Creator. When those ten, who are called “martyrs,” were slain, they were slain by the Sitra Achra, and complemented another place of Kedusha. For this reason, everything is revealed before the Creator and is done properly.

678) 12 lights stand in that palace, four above, and eight with them, since each of the four takes with it two, as was the order of the banners. Similarly, in the order below through the end of the degrees, there are three Behinot in each of the four Sefirot HG TM.

679) All the prayers enter that palace, and all those desires in praises that were made with love. When they enter that palace, they all cling to it. Each day, and at each time when the kisses conjoin, it is a time when the Creator is amusing Himself with the souls of the righteous. The amusement is that those kisses awaken to the righteous and they are first to the pleasure. It is written about it, “Then you shall delight in the Lord.”

680) That palace is the whole of all those lower palaces, which are all included in that palace. The first palace—the sapphire pavement, where the spirit, Situtria stands, as well as all those animals—is supported by two pillars to the east, two to the south, two to the west, and two to the north. Thus, they are eight pillars. They are called “the stakes of the tabernacle,” and they stand outside.

681) When the upper King comes, those stakes travel and the strings to which they are tied become uprooted from their place. Those are eight different ones, besides the stakes we said. Situtria, the first spirit in the palace, rushes and enters, and becomes included in Adiria, the second spirit in the palace.

682) The two pillars to the east are called Kariel—who was appointed outside on 12,000 appointees, all of whom are called “stakes of the tabernacle.” He is to the right. The left one is called Shmaiel, who was appointed over 12,000 other appointees, all of whom are stakes. The pillars that were appointed to the south: one is Saadiel, and one is Stariel. Each was appointed over 12,000 other appointees. Those never move away from their dominance.

683) They are all appointed over the existence of the world, and they are the ones who weigh males and females on scales so they marry one another. These are called “scales,” and it is written about it, “In the scales to go up.” They are not, as it is written about them, “Scales of justice.” All those who are equal to one another, and one does not weigh more than the other, rise and join together. They are the bonding of male and female together. It is written about it, “In the scales to go up.” And although it sometimes happens that one weighs more than the other, they also rise up and join together.

Male and female are the right line and the left line. Prior to the sentencing of the middle line, which diminishes the GAR of the left and makes it even to right, there is a dispute between right and left. The left regards itself more than the right line and wishes to cancel it. This is why it was said, “All those who are equal to one another, where the left is not greater than the right, can conjoin with one another.”

However, if the left still did not diminish its GAR, there is a dispute between them and they are unfit for joining. Yet, if the right is greater than the left, there is no dispute between them and it is possible for them to conjoin. This is why it was said that although it sometimes happens that one weighs more than the other—when the right is greater than the left—they

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still rise and conjoin, since the important thing is for the left not to be greater than the right, as we learn, “decline from your degree and marry a woman.”

684) The two pillars on the north are called Patchiel, Atariel. Each is appointed over 12,000 different appointees, which are the stakes of the tabernacle. The appointees that are the two other pillars, to the west, are called Pdatiel, Tomihael, and each is appointed over 12,000 different appointees, all of whom are the stakes of the tabernacle.

685) They are the ones who shed tears over all those who divorce their first wives because those seven blessings that they bless under the Huppah, which were given to her, have been removed and were not kept because she has been divorced and they did not cling together, husband and wife. This is what they all shed tears over, for the divorce shows that those seven blessings are as though they departed from another place, the upper Malchut, that the woman below is opposite her. At that time, a voice comes out and says, “Where is the certificate of divorce by which I have sent your mother away?”

686) The second palace, an object of the heaven, includes the first palace, the sapphire pavement, to unite in it and in all the animals that are there. It, too, has eight stakes, like the first ones in the first palace. They are all appointed, each over 12,000 other appointees, such as the first—two stakes to the east, two stakes to the south, two stakes to the north, and two stakes to the west.

687) The two stakes to the east are called Yahadniel, Gzuria. They have 12,000 other appointees each, and all are stakes. The two stakes to the south, Ahariel, Brahiel, each is over 12,000, like the first ones.

688) Those are appointed over birth, taking the women’s voices and laying them in front of that palace. And when the Sitra Achra comes to slander—at a time of danger—they stand and let in the voices, to the appointee by the door, and the Sitra Achra cannot slander. Sometimes, for the transgressions of the woman, the Sitra Achra gets in first and slanders, and is able to harm.

689) Two stakes on the north, Halhaliel, Karsapihael, are each appointed over 12,000 different ones. On the west, there are Sugadia, Gdaria, appointed over 12,000 other ones.

690) Those appointed over the blood of the covenant, when the newborn is circumcised after eight days, take the blood and place it before that palace. When fret awakens in the world, the Creator looks at that blood, and the Sitra Achra is not permitted to enter there.

691) When a person has been circumcised after eight days, and the Sabbath has already been over him, during the eight days, the holy Malchut, then when this foreskin is cut and thrown out, the Sitra Achra sees it, that it is a part of that sacrifice, and the Sitra Achra breaks and cannot rule and slander him. Instead, he becomes a speaker in favor of Israel before the Creator.

692) The palace, Noga, stands to include and unite with the palace of an object of the heaven, and the spirit and all the animals in it unite with one another, and they are one spirit, included in one another. It, too, has eight stakes to the four directions, and they are all called “stakes of the tabernacle.” Two stakes to the south are Shachniel, Azuzia; two stakes to the east are Yehodia Azriel, and each of them stands on 12,000 other appointees. Also, they are all stakes of the tabernacle.

693) They were appointed over the fume of the mouth of infants who engage in Torah to keep the world. They take that fume and raise it up, and a spirit is made out of all the fume of those

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infants who engage in Torah to keep the world. The spirit rises and crowns in a holy crown, and is appointed as the keeper of the world. And so are all of them.

694) Two stakes to the north, Azpiel, Ktatrihael, are appointed over 12,000 appointees each. Two stakes to the west, Asisinia, Adiriria, are appointed over 12,000 different appointees each.

695) These were appointed to declare through all the firmaments regarding all those who are shifting their sons from engagement in Torah, and are making them not engage in it. At that time, all those appointees come out and declare, “Woe unto so and so, who has shifted his son from learning the Torah. Woe unto him for he is lost from this world and from the next world.”

696) The fourth palace is a palace that is the most to stand in the light. It is circled by 32 superior stakes, 500,000 other appointees under those, four other ones, which are the highest of all, and all are stakes of that palace. These four are Hasdihael, Kasiria, Kdumia, Dahariel. These four are appointed over everyone, and all the others are appointed under them.

697) By those, the Din is made known, to be made in the world. All the armies appointed over the Din come to those four, to ask, how the sentence was ruled over the world, since all those Dinim were not given in the writing for the sustenance of the world, hence they do not know. For this reason, they all come to ask them. And therefore, they are all appointed over it.

698) The 32 other ones are appointed over all those who always engage in Torah, and never stop, day or night. And all the other ones, below them, are appointed over all those who have set certain times for the Torah. They punish all those who could engage in Torah but did not.

699) 365 appointees stand in the fifth palace, the palace, Love, as the number of the days of the year. Above them are four stakes, superior to all, Krashihael, Sartihael, Asiria, Kadmiel. Those are called “stakes of that palace.”

700) These were appointed over delighting the world. When the soul is added from Sabbath eve to Sabbath eve and comes out, they come out with it and remove any sadness and any labor or bitterness of the soul from Israel, and any fret in the world. They are the ones who delight the world.

701) All those below those four are appointed over lifting the judgment from the litigators and from those who punish them in Hell, removing the judgment from them. Hence, all those stakes stand in joy and come out in joy, and all the palaces are standing to rise and be crowned above.

702) The sixth palace stands on all the bottom palaces. There are 100 other ones in that palace, standing outside the palace, and they are called “stakes,” like those other ones. They are 100 to the right, and 100 to the left.

703) There are two high appointees on the right, and two other appointees on the left. On the right there are Malkiel, Shmaiahel, and on the left, Misarsania, Tzaftzafia. These are upper stakes on the right and on the left.

704) They stand and are present in the world. When the time for a righteous to depart the world arrives and the Sitra Achra is given permission, those four stand to be present there, so his soul will depart with a kiss and will not be afflicted under the dominion of the Sitra Achra. Happy are the righteous in this world and in the next world, for their Master precedes the dominion of the four on them so they are kept in this world and in the next world.

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705) From this palace, all the secrets and all the upper and lower degrees begin to unite, so that all will be in wholeness, above and below, so that all will be one, one bonding, to properly unify the holy name, and to be completed so the upper abundance illuminates in the lower one, and the illuminations of the candles illuminate as one, not parting from one another. At that time, those who are drawn and affected are drawn—who was unknown and unrevealed, so he would draw near and unite with one another, so that all will be in the complete unification as it should be.

706) Happy is he who knows the secrets of his Master, to know him properly. They eat their part in this world and in the next world. It is written about it, “Behold, My servants shall eat.” Happy are the righteous who engage in Torah day and night because they know the ways of the Creator, and know how to properly unite the sacred unification, for anyone who knows how to unify the holy name in wholeness, as it should be, happy is he in this world and in the next world.

707) The connection of all the palaces connects to that palace, to attach spirit to spirit, which are kisses, the bottom spirit in the upper spirit. The spirit below ascends in those kisses to cling to the spirit above, and when spirit attaches to spirit, the upper, hidden spirit, Bina, is on that spirit in the middle, Tifferet, Jacob. And as long as spirit does not awaken to cling to spirit, the upper spirit, Bina, is not on the middle spirit, Tifferet, Jacob.

708) It is so because when spirit unites with spirit, there are kisses for bonding, and the rest of the organs—the rest of the Behinot in the palace—awaken in craving, and that spirit clings to that one. At that time, all the organs awaken to connect to one another, connecting organ to organ.

709) And who awakens the lower organs or the upper organs to connect to one another? The lower organs always awaken toward the upper ones. One who is in the dark always craves to be in the light. A black flame below always awakens toward the white flame above, to cling to it and be under it, as it is written, “O God, do not be still; do not be silent and, O God, do not be quiet.”

710) When Jacob, Tifferet, took the sixth palace, he was called by the complete, holy name, VeHaVaYaH [“and the Lord”]. It is not the wholeness of everything, but when all the palaces were complemented to unite with one another, then everything is called HaVaYaH Elokim. This is a completely full name. And as long as palaces did not connect to palaces, it is not called by the complete name. When they conjoin with one another, everything is complemented from above and from below, and the light of above, Bina, descends and is present over everything, and everything connects as one, for all to be one.

711) Jacob took four women and included them within him. He stands between two worlds in Atzilut, which are called Rachel and Leah. When Jacob took the sixth palace, he took and included all those four women within him, which are four angels, and they all cling to that palace. These are the four heads of the rivers, as it is written, “And from there it parted and became four heads.” These four heads are four women that Jacob took, taking that palace.

712) Then that palace is called VeHaVaYaH, when it is for better, as it is written, “And the Lord went before them by day.” “And the Lord said, ‘Do I hide from Abraham?’” And when Isaac connected to the palace of the courthouse, which is called the palace, Zechut, then everything is called “And the Lord,” to punish the wicked, as it is written, “And the Lord showered Sodom.”

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713) When Jacob took that palace, everything is called “complete desire.” This is a time of good will. Henceforth, the palaces begin to bond and connect with one another. And although the order of the unification is southeast, extending from the south, Hesed, to the east, Tifferet, the south is the main one. And here it was said that Tifferet is the primary one and precedes Hesed, the sixth palace.

It is all one, since here spirit to spirit is in one Dvekut, the kissing, in which Tifferet is the primary, for he is above Hesed, and there it is an embrace, hence Hesed is the primary, as it is written, “The blessings of your father overcame the blessings of my parents.” “The blessings of your father” is Tifferet. “Overcame the blessings of my parents” is HG, since for all the blessings and kisses, he became more important than HG and is considered above them.

714) Here is where Abraham—right, Hesed de ZA—begins. He is called “great love,” and he took the fifth palace, called “love.” Then it is written, “Breasts were fashioned,” meaning the name Shadai, and were filled abundantly to nourish and to feed everything from here. And when the breasts were fashioned and filled out of sublime love, that palace is called El Shadai.

By that, the whole world has found satisfaction when it was created, for when the world was created it could not exist, and could not persist until that palace that Abraham took was revealed. When Abraham was revealed in that palace, He said to the world Dai [enough], for there is satiation that suffices the world to be nourished by it and exist. This is why it is called El Shadai, for there is enough in it for all.

715) The Creator is destined to fill it and correct it in the future, as it is written, “That you may nurse and be satisfied with her comforting breasts, that you may suck and delight in the moving of her glory.” “Her comforting breasts” and “The moving of her glory” are all in this palace. At that time, it is written, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children?” since the nursing depends on Abraham, Hesed.

716) Isaac, the left of the Creator, from whom all the Dinim in the world awaken, is the left arm, the beginning of all the Dinim, and all the Dinim awaken from there. Isaac takes and grips the Din, called Zechut, the fourth palace, to connect Din to Din, so that all will be one connection, since Isaac is the Din of above, of ZA, and the inscriptions of the Din are standing in it.

717) And here the holy name Elokim is written. This is so because there is the living God, above, hidden from all, Bina, and there is God [Elokim], the courthouse of above, Gevura de ZA. And there is also Elokim, the courthouse of below, Malchut, as it is written, “But there is a God that judges in the earth.” Elokim above, the living God, Bina, includes those of below, and it is all one.

718) Isaac, Gevura de ZA, awakened in that palace, and all 72 lights that are included in him. From him all the Dinim in the world are sentenced below. The decrees and the judgments are called cities because they are all in that city, as it is written, “In the city of the Lord of hosts, the city of our God.” All those palaces above are each called “city.” These are cities that stand inside the palace, which is called “a city.” And because they stand in a city, they are called “cities.”

719) That palace includes Isaac, and it is all in the palace, Abraham, the fifth palace, since the right, Hesed, is included in the left, Gevura, each included in the other. This is why Abraham tied Isaac, to include the Din, Isaac, in himself, and so that the left will be included in the right, and to make the right dominate the left.

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720) This is why the Creator commanded Abraham to sacrifice his son and prevail over him, and did not command Isaac to be sacrificed but Abraham, so that Abraham, Hesed, would include Isaac, Din. This is why one is in Din, one is Hesed, and it is all one, for they were included in one another. Thus, the lower palaces were included in the upper ones.

721) When Isaac took that palace, everything was sentenced favorably, a favorable judgment. Hence, a person who sentences must sentence the sentence favorably, for it is the completeness of the judgment, because there is no completeness of judgment unless in favor. One without the other is not wholeness; a favorable judgment is the wholeness of faith, such as above.

722) On the first day of the year, when the Din awakens in the world, Israel below must evoke Rachamim out of the Shofar, like the upper one. They must connect the Din opposite merit, Hesed, since when the Din is in merit, everything is in one unification, above and below in wholeness. Then it is written, “And her iniquity stopped her mouth,” for she has no permission to slander and accuse in the world. At that time everything is in one unification, as it should be, and Din without merit is no Din.

723) This is in Israel, who have favorable judgment. But the rest of the nations have no favorable judgment, hence we must not set our judgments in the instances [in law] of the nations, for they have no portion in the side of our faith, as it is written, “He did not do so for any nation, and they have not known His ordinances.” On the part of Israel, anyone who sentences a judgment and did not include merit in it is a sinner, for he lessened the faith and diverted himself to a side where there is Din without merit, which is the Sitra Achra.

724) When the Sanhedrin stood below, to sentence souls, they had to start with merit, to include the merit in the sentence, especially since they are called to judge from the house of merit. The Sanhedrin is in the palace, Zechut, which is why they attempted to begin with merit. They begin with merit from the smallest one in the Sanhedrin, and then the Din is completed in the superior one in the Sanhedrin, so that the merit will be included in the Din, one above and one below.

A judgment of merit is the wholeness of the Din; one without the other is incomplete. For this reason, Isaac and Rebecca are as one, where one is Din and one is merit, so there is one wholeness. Isaac is Din and Rebecca is merit. Happy are Israel, whom the Creator gave a complete law, to walk by the path of truth, such as the light above.

725) They would judge only favorably, and examine the merit first, so they are included in one another. The Sanhedrin would mingle the merit with the Din to include everything as one so that the Sitra Achra would not rule, since when no merit was found, the Sitra Achra—called demerit—is there. The Sitra Achra connects to the Din and grows stronger, and this is judgment by demerit.

726) Therefore, on the first day of the year, merit should be connected to Din, so the demerit does not prevail. This is why merit and Din must be together, so they are whole. It is so because when the Sitra Achra, who is demerit, rules, it is incomplete, but rather slandering. As it is slandering, from which four deaths extend, when the side of merit rules, everything is complete. Peace and truth, Hesed and Rachamim.

727) When the Sitra Achra connects to the Din, she governs the slandering, those four deaths of the courthouse—stoning, burning, killing, and strangling, all of which are governance of the evil slandering. Stoning—since the Sitra Achra is a stone of stumbling. Burning—since she is a rock of impediment, a strong fire. Killing—since she governs the flesh, as it is

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written, “My sword shall eat flesh,” and the Sitra Achra is called “the end of all flesh.” Strangling—since she is the curse of God, the one who governs strangling, the hanged one, as it is written, “The curse of God hangs,” since all that is left of one who is hanged is the flesh because the soul has fled from him. Thus, this curse of God governs the flesh, which is dark gall because the Kedusha is for good and the Sitra Achra is for bad.

728) Israel, in whom there is faith, should be careful, so that faith will govern and they will not give room for the Sitra Achra to govern. Happy are they in this world and in the next world. It is written about them, “And your people are all righteous.”

729) The prophets, the upper sides, the two thighs NH that support the holy Torah, which is Tifferet, take the palaces in which there are two spirits, Noga and Zohar, which are the third palace, Noga, and the second palace, the object of the heaven. They are two thighs below, in Beria, supporting those palaces above, called “oral Torah,” Malchut de Atzilut. As the written Torah has supports, there are supporting pillars to the oral Torah, Malchut, which are included in one another. When those two supports below, Noga and Zohar, connect to those upper palaces in Malchut de Atzilut, prophecy, which is a vision, is inscribed in them.

730) All those visionaries suckle from the palaces, Noga and Zohar, included in the palaces of Malchut, above, in NH de ZA, suckling prophecy. Here, in Malchut, they suckle a vision, which is why prophecy is like a vision, and the vision is like prophecy. When they connect to one another—Netzah with Hod, Noga and Zohar—the holy name, “Hosts,” governs that place because all those holy hosts are standing here, and they are all named on the part of the prophecy, since a vision and a dream are on the part of prophecy.

731) Although we say that the name “hosts” is within the token of the holy covenant, Yesod, since all the hosts come from that token, Yesod, still, the thighs that stand outside the body are also named after that name, “hosts.” They are called Braitot [pl. of Braita], meaning external [in Aramaic], since the Braita is outside the Mishnah. The Mishnah stands over the Braita, for the Braita interprets the Mishnah, and the Braitot are called “thighs of the Mishnah,” external houses, like NH above, outside the Guf of the Partzuf.

732) The Mishnah is a secret that stands within because the core is learned from there. Thus, the Tanaaim [pl. of Tana (sage)] in the Mishnah are from the internality, and it is written, “I will lead you; I will bring you into my mother’s house; teach me.” “Into my mother’s house” is the holy of holies, Yesod of Malchut de Atzilut that is corrected in Yesod de Ima. This is why it is called “My mother’s house,” the interior of Malchut. “Teach me” relates to the Mishnah. When the river that stretches out, Yesod de ZA, enters the house of the holy of holies, it is written, “Teach me,” meaning bestow upon me. This is why Malchut is called Mishnah, as it is Mishneh [secondary] to ZA in the Zivug.

733) When she is extended outward, she is called Braita, meaning external. The two thighs are Braitot, external ones. This is the secret of secrets that cannot be disclosed for the secret was given only to the superior sages. Woe if we disclose, for the wicked will use it; woe if we do not disclose, for it will be lost from the righteous, as it is a secret from among the sublime secrets with which the Creator leads the world.

734) The first Temple stood in the days of Solomon in correspondence with the upper world, Bina, and Bina is called “the first Temple.” Everything was used in the house of the holy of holies, the place where the sun uses the moon, ZA in Malchut. The high secrets are all in wholeness, and the world stood in perfection. Afterwards, Israel caused the sins and the secrets were pulled out and rejected from the house of the holy of holies to the thighs, NH. At

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that time they are standing outside and are called “external houses,” and then Israel needed the Braitot because they could not suckle from the Mishnah.

735) In the second Temple, Israel stood in external houses in the thighs. Some of them returned and sang in the house of the holy of holies, and this is the second Temple, Malchut, since the first Temple is Bina. The other ones remained outside, in the Braita, between the thighs, and those who returned to the house of the holy of holies were learning from the Mishnah, and acted according to the study in the Mishnah, as it is written, “For the law will go forth from Zion,” for Zion is the internality of Malchut, called, Mishnah.

736) Afterwards, when they caused the sins, the governance of the second Temple was removed. And although its governance was not as the first Temple, in which there was always peace because the king that peace is his, ZA, was always in it in a never ending Zivug, hence it was in peace. The second Temple was not such peace because the foreskin was always slandering in it, hence the priests within it were ready to slander, to condemn this foreskin, and they needed the matter to convict the Sitra Achra with it and to protect the second Temple.

737) Afterwards they caused the iniquities, the foreskin governed, and Israel were repelled from the second Temple, descending from there to the curves of the thighs, NH, down in Beria, until they are straightened below in the legs, in Assiya. When they sit in the legs, meaning correct them, it is written, “And His legs shall stand in that day,” and the world will treat every thing in the upper secret properly. And even though they were repelled from the internality, they were not neglected from it, and they forever grip to it.

738) One who knows and measures by the length of the measuring cord—the length of the continuation of the thighs through the legs—can know the measure of the continuing exile. This is why all the Braitot, all the Tanaaim, and all the Amoraim are standing in their proper place, those within, and those without, in the curves of the thighs, NH, and below the thighs. And in all of them, Malchut is called “the oral Torah.” And in all of them, Israel went down and exiled among the nations.

739) When the exile ends by the stretching of the legs, when they receive their correction, it will be as it is written, “And His legs shall stand in that day,” and the spirit of Tuma’a, the foreskin, shall pass away from the world. Then Israel will govern alone once more, as it should be, since the foreskin has lowered them down thus far, but henceforth, once the foreskin has been cut off and removed from the world, it is written, “And Israel dwells in safety, the eye of Jacob alone,” meaning the eye of Jacob, Malchut, where there is Hochma, called “eyes,” and no one will slander them. Happy are Israel in this world and in the next world.

740) The righteous Joseph, the pillar of the world, Yesod, took by permission a hidden and concealed palace. The seventh palace stands in his domain, and the palace of the sapphire pavement also stands in his domain, being corrected in him. But two degrees part from the prophets, who are connected below—a vision, and a dream—standing in the thighs, NH. The vision and a small prophecy are in the curves of the thighs. From the thighs down stands a dream, which is in the knees, below the knees, until legs touch legs, meaning the legs of Atzilut equalize with the legs of BYA, since BYA will return to being Atzilut. At that time, they will ascend to prophecy and vision, and there—below the thighs—stands the bottom palace, the sapphire pavement.

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741) Every Hitkalelut [mingling] of thighs is to complement one with the other, and all are degrees of prophecy, since from there they come out and exist, and a vision is made of them. They remain over the place of the sapphire pavement, and a dream is made of them. The righteous Joseph, Yesod, the wholeness of everything, takes everything because everything is corrected by him; through him, everyone craves in a craving.

742) When the righteous Joseph, Yesod, is about to correct everything, he takes everything. And when he connects in his palace, everyone awakens to take craving and desire, the upper ones and lower ones, and it is all in one will and one wholeness, to delight the upper ones and lower ones in one desire, as it should be, and all the lower ones persist through him. This is why it is written, “And the righteous is the Yesod [foundation] of the world,” since the world stands on this foundation.

743) The palace of the sapphire pavement does not exist before the righteous Joseph, Yesod de ZA, is established. When he is established, all are established, for this is the secret of the entire building of Malchut. It is written about it, “And the Lord God built the rib.” It does not say, “made,” and it does not say “created,” but “built,” since it stands on Yesod [foundation], for after the Yesod is established, everything is built on it. This is why it is written, “built,” and this is why everyone stands in this Yesod.

744) It is written, “And the Lord God built the rib.” That is, Malchut was behind ZA, and He established her so she returns to being PBP [face-to-face] with ZA. However, “built” means that He looked into raising her to the same degree of the upper world, Bina, so that one would be like the other.

745) Moreover, “built” means that the Emanator looked to His sides and established and aimed all the sides of Malchut to sow, water, beget, and to make for her all that she needs. Afterwards it is written, “And brought her,” meaning he brought the rib into a righteous, Yesod, as it is written, “And by this the maiden came to the king.” “By this” means Yesod, who is called “this,” since he continues everything, raising and crowning in full. Here is the force to prevent iniquities; here is the force to prevent all the evil lusts.

746) But in the sixth palace in the Sitra Achra there are all the evil pleasures and all the types of lusts of this world. When this world is conducted in them, people fail in them from being rewarded with the next world because they see several pleasures and lusts in which the body enjoys and delights, and they fornicate after them, as it is written, “And the woman saw that the tree was good to eat,” since all the lusts and worldly pleasures were hanging off it.

747) There are things that the body enjoys, that enter the body, but not the soul, and there are things that the soul enjoys and not the body. This is why the degrees differ from one another. Happy are the righteous who take the straight path and avoid that side, clinging to the side of Kedusha.

748) All the souls of all the palaces below are included in that palace. There are two names that include the rest of the names. One is when the upper connects to the lower, and Jacob took his palace in those kisses in the upper one. At that time he includes all the other names and he is called HaVaYaH Elokim [the Lord God]. This is called “the full name.” And one is when the foundation of the world, Joseph, connects in his palace, and everyone awakens in love and craving for him, and they are all included in him. At that time he includes all the other names and is called HaVaYaH Tzevaot [the Lord of Hosts]. It is called “the complete holy name,” but it is not as complete as HaVaYaH Elokim.

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749) What is the difference between Jacob and Joseph? Jacob is Tifferet, Guf, where upper controls lower, Guf over Guf, for Tifferet de Atzilut rules over Tifferet of the palaces, as both are considered Guf, Chazeh and above, Jacob. Joseph is Yesod in Atzilut. He rules from the place of Sium [end] of the Guf and below, in those palaces, in their Yesod, which is the palace of the sapphire pavement, and all those below.

These are the first Temple and the second Temple, where the first Temple is Zivug Tifferet and Malchut from Chazeh and above, and the second Temple is Zivug of Tifferet and Malchut from the Chazeh and below, considered Yesod and Malchut. This is why this palace includes all the other names below, and this is why of those names, one ascends and the other descends: the lower one rises to the upper one, and the upper one descends to the lower one. Happy are the righteous, who know the ways of the Torah.

750) That Yesod was established on two sides: one, in the first palace, to correct everything below, and one to correct the seventh palace and to be corrected in one another, so all will be one will, as it should be. Thus far is the unification of two sides, of above and of below, to unite as one in wholeness, and to walk in the straight path.

751) Happy is he who knows how to unify the unification, arrange the order of faith, and walk on the straight path. Happy is he in this world and in the next world. It is written about it, “Mercy and truth met; justice and peace kissed.” And then it is written, “Truth shall spring forth from the earth, and justice looks down from heaven.” “The Lord, too, shall give the good, and our land shall yield its crop.” Truth, Tifferet, is attached to Malchut, earth. Likewise, Malchut, Tzedek [justice], is attached to Tifferet, heaven, and then the Lord, too, Tifferet, “Will give the good, and our land,” Malchut, “Shall yield its crop.”

The Palace of Holy of Holies752) The seventh palace is the innermost palace. It is hidden, there is no real form in it, and there is no Guf at all here, only a Rosh. Here is the concealed of the secret of secrets, the place to enter the channels of above, of Atzilut. Here is a spirit who includes all the spirits in all the palaces. Here is a desire that includes all the desire, to unite all the palaces as one. In this palace is the spirit of life, from Bina, so that all will be one correction.

753) That palace is called “the house of the holy of holies,” the place to receive the upper soul, Bina, who is called so to evoke in him the next world, Bina.

754) This world, Malchut, is called “world.” “World” means ascent, where the lower world, Malchut, rises to the upper world, Bina, hides in it, disappears in it, and appears in hiding. Malchut ascends with all the palaces that have approached her and hide within the upper concealment, Bina. The upper world, Bina, means that Bina rises and hides within the upper desire, within the most covered of all that are covered, who is completely unknown, unrevealed, and there is none who knows him, who is AA.

755) The curtain, the Parsa—between the sixth palace, holiness, and the seventh palace, the holy of holies—was spread and covers to conceal the hidden one, the seventh palace. The ark-cover was spread in high concealments over the ark of the testimony in the holy of holies, Malchut de Atzilut, clothed in the seventh palace, to conceal the concealed inside the ark of the covenant, for they are hidden and concealed.

756) Inside the ark-cover, which is the ark, there is a hidden place, concealed and covert, in which to gather the upper anointing oil, the spirit of life, through a river that stretches out of Eden, Yesod de ZA de Atzilut. The river is called “the fountain of the well,” Malchut, whose

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waters never stop. When Yesod lets in and extends every holy ointment from above, from the place of the holy of holies, Bina de Atzilut, the illumination and extension come down into those hoses of Yesod of Malchut de Atzilut, and Malchut de Atzilut is filled from there, like a female is impregnated and filled by the male.

The seventh palace, too, is established to receive the lights of Yesod de ZA de Atzilut through Malchut de Atzilut, which is clothed in it, like a female who receives from the male. The reception that she receives are all those spirits and holy souls who come down to the world to clothe in people. They are detained there as long as it is necessary, until they come down and clothe in people. After their demise from this world, they return to the seventh palace.

757) They are detained in the seventh palace until the arrival of the Messiah king, when all those souls are satisfied and come to Atzilut to their places, and the world will rejoice as before, prior to the diminution of the moon and the sin of the tree of knowledge, as it is written, “The Lord will rejoice in His works.”

It is so because after their demise from this world, the souls cannot rise above the seventh palace, for that is where the Parsa separates between Atzilut and BYA. Hence, they are detained in the seventh palace until the end of correction, when the boundary of the Parsa is cancelled and they can climb up to Atzilut, to their root, to Bina de Atzilut, since the light of Bina is called Neshama [soul]. This is why at that time it is written, “The Lord will rejoice in His works.”

758) In this palace are pleasures, delights and entertainment of the spirits with which the Creator is entertained in the Garden of Eden. Here are all the lusts and all the pleasures, for all the palaces to unite in Him as one, and they will all become one. Here it is the connection of everything in one unification.

759) When all the organs, all the Behinot in the palaces, unite in the upper organs of the seventh palace, each according to what he deserves, they have neither passion nor delight other than the unification in that palace. It all hangs here. When the bonding here unites in a single unification, then all the illuminations in the organs, all the illumination of the Panim, and all the joys illuminate and rejoice.

760) Happy is he who knows how to set up orders and to properly correct the corrections of the wholeness. He is the Creator’s loved one in this world and in the next world, and then all the Dinim and all the bad decrees are revoked from the world.

761) That palace is the palace of passion, palace of pleasure, the palace for entertaining above and below as one. Here the Creator plays with the souls, as well as in the lower Garden of Eden, as one, and everyone receives the light of the upper illumination who illuminates to all—the light of Bina—that has been properly united in the complete unification. For this reason, that palace is hidden from all, concealed from all. Although they are all hidden, this one is more concealed and hidden because it is the place of Yesod, so that the token of the covenant will all be as one, male and female being in wholeness.

762) That palace is called “the ark of the covenant.” It is the master of all the earth because it is the place from which all the souls in the world emerge to unite the unification below and to extend the unification of the Creator above and below, giving to the righteous, the first palace, Yesod. This is because the souls emerge from a righteous, Yesod de ZA, and enter a righteous, the palace of Yesod, then come out from a righteous, the palace of Yesod, and clothe in people. After their demise from this world they enter the place from which they came out, the seventh palace.

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763) The ark of the covenant in the seventh palace receives everything from the righteous, Yesod de ZA de Atzilut. Afterwards the souls come out from the ark of the covenant and enter the righteous below, in the first palace, Yesod. Subsequently, they come out from the righteous below and clothe in people. After their demise, they enter the ark of the covenant in the seventh palace so all the souls will be included from above, from Bina, the seventh palace, and from below, from the Yesod of the palaces, to be complete on all sides. The ark of the covenant, the seventh palace, receives the souls from a righteous, the first palace, comprising both sides—male and female—since in the first palace the male souls connect with the female souls.

764) The fountain of the well, Yesod, never ceases from the well, which is Malchut de Atzilut clothed in the seventh palace. Hence, that place is the perfection of everything, the persistence of the whole body to be complete in everything, as it should be. Here, in the seventh palace, is the unification and the connection as one, to be one above and below, in one connection, so the organs, Behinot, and degrees in the palaces do not depart from each other, and so all will be in a Zivug PBP [Panim be Panim (face-to-face)].

765) One who performs intercourse from behind denies the correction of Histaklut [looking] PBP, applied in the upper one, where everything illuminates as one, so that all will be PBP, in Dvekut, as it should be, as it is written, “And shall cleave to his wife,” and not behind his wife.

766) They are two—Jacob above, from Chazeh and above, Tifferet, and Joseph below, from Chazeh and below, Yesod. There are two lusts: the sixth palace that Jacob took, and the seventh palace, the palace of holy of holies, in which Yesod de ZA, Joseph, operates. The passion above, from Chazeh and above, is in the kisses that Jacob took, in the sixth palace. The passion below, in the service that Joseph took, is in the seventh palace, the holy of holies.

The ark of the covenant—the palace of the holy of holies—took from the two Behinot, from Jacob and from Joseph: 1) From the side of Jacob, he took the spirit of life. He took the spirit of life above, meaning that Jacob clung to him through the kisses. That spirit of life above entered the ark of the covenant, the seventh palace, to be nourished by it. 2) From the side of Joseph, who is below, at the Sium of the Guf, Yesod, the seventh palace took from him spirits and souls to bestow downward, to this world.

767) The two Behinot, Jacob and Joseph, divide into two sides. Jacob, Tifferet, expands and gives strength to spout in the breasts, which are El Shadai, having been filled with the spirit of life. With them, he nurses the holy angels that live and exist forever, that exist in it, and obtain their wholeness through the nursing. Joseph, Yesod, enters the ark of the covenant with passion and gives force inside, making souls and spirits to go down and nourish with the people of the world.

The angels come out of the upper Zivug of kisses, and are therefore nourished by the spirit of life, Jacob, who comes out of that Zivug. The souls of people come out from Zivug de Yesodot, who is Joseph, hence they are also nourished from there.

768) Therefore, the two sides, Jacob and Joseph, are one above—Jacob—and one below—Joseph. Jacob is for nourishing above, the angels, Joseph is for nourishing below, souls of people, each as is appropriate for him. It is all one; they are both in ZA—Jacob above the Chazeh, and Joseph below the Chazeh.

And yet, Joseph nourishes the whole body, extending the light of life from the Zivug of kissing, too, from Chazeh de Guf and above, and watering it, since from the spirit of life in

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Jacob’s Dvekut, in kissing, it descends to Joseph from the Chazeh down, and the ark of the covenant in the seventh palace clings to it with the will of above from the Zivug of kisses. And through the Dvekut [adhesion] of Joseph in the ark of the covenant, the spirit of life comes down to the souls of people. And when everything unites as one, when Joseph is included with the illumination of the Zivug of kisses, too, then the breasts are filled to nurse even the souls of people, and this is why everything is one.

Happy is he who knows how to tie ties and unify unifications in his prayer with the will of the heart as it should be, to attach organ to organ, spirit to spirit, all in one whole, so all will be one, as it should be.

769) When the holy spirits and all the palaces and Merkavot unite in that palace, they are all as one. They are in one connection. At that time the superior spirit in that palace, a single point, Yesod, is concealed in them and is not revealed. He becomes a hidden spirit, like the upper one in Atzilut. Its sign is a nut, whose interior is like a brain split in four, corresponding to HB HG, connected as one in their middle. Here, too, a single unification connects them all to connect with each other and be whole in completeness as one.

770) The offering ascends to unify the unification and provide satisfaction for each as he deserves from that smoke which the priest, who is right, raises in the tying of the unification with the desire, while the Levites, who are left, are in singing. Thus, they are mingled in one another—palace to palace, spirit to spirit—until they conjoin in their place in ZON de Atzilut, organ to organ, so all will be included as one, as it should be.

771) When they are all completed together, when all the palaces are included in the seventh palace, and the upper organs, ZON de Atzilut, illuminate to the lower ones, the palaces, a high soul awakens—Bina de Atzilut—enters everyone and illuminates to all. Then everyone is blessed: the upper ones, ZON de Atzilut; the lower ones, all the palaces, and what is within them. The one who is not known and which did not enter the calculation of the desire, who is never perceived, Atik, dresses inside of them, and then everything rises through Ein Sof and all connects in one connection. And the desire that is never perceived, Atik, is mitigated through and through in concealment.

772) The light of the upper soul, which is Bina, rises through and through and illuminates to all. Within this light of the soul enters and clothes the hidden thought, which includes everything, upper AVI, the light of Haya. And inside the internality of the desire of the thought, which is AVI, illuminating, perfumed, and gripping yet not gripping AA, the desire of the thought ascends to grip AA. And when AVI rises and clothes AA, the light below, YESHSUT grips AA.

Although upper AVI that rise to Rosh AA have no grip on him, they do not receive Hochma from him, since the letter Yod never departs from their Avir. Rather, YESHSUT, ZAT de AVI, grip to AA, receiving Hochma from him, and the Yod comes out of their Avir. When AVI rise to Rosh AA, the light below, ZAT de AVI, which are YESHSUT, grip to AA, receiving Hochma from him, and not AVI themselves.

773) Similarly, all must be united with one another, connecting, filling, and being blessed, all as one, as it should be. At that time they connect with one another, palaces to palaces, lower to upper, male and female together. The upper light, Neshama, unify in a more concealed and hidden light, Haya. And that which is more concealed is included in what is concealed more than itself, AA, until everything is as it should be—in one unification.

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774) This is why Moses knew how to arrange the order of his Master more than all the people in the world. When there was a need to prolong, he prolonged; and when there was a need to be brief, he was brief. He said, “Please, Lord, please heal her.” He who prolonged his prayer and looks at her finally comes into a heartache. But we learn the opposite—one who prolongs his prayer, his days are prolonged.

775) One who prolongs where there is a need to be brief, comes into pain. The heart is Malchut, extending Mochin de Hochma, called “a feast,” as it is written, “Drink and be drunken, O beloved.” It is so because it is a place in which there is a need to be brief, and not prolong, for all is above and must not be extended downward, but tied in a connection of above without extension until they are all one, in one unification. And when it is tied together, there is no need for prolonging and for asking for pleading.

And when prolonging where it is needed, in ZA—Hassadim covered from Hochma—the Creator accepts his prayer, for it is the glory of the Creator, ZA, that thanks to the unification of the prayer, He ties connections and multiplies blessings above and below, as the blessings extend from above downward.

Prolonging one’s prayer means extending the abundance from above downward. Making one’s prayer brief means extending it only from below upward. Hence, Malchut, who is illumination of Hochma, must not be extended from above downward because that was the sin of the tree of knowledge. The illumination of Hochma, which is a feast, stands entirely above, and must not be drawn below. Rather, it is to be shortened, tying in a connection of above without prolonging, so he would extend from below upward. We learn about it that one who prolongs his prayer comes into pain. But the illumination of ZA, who is covered Hassadim, is the opposite—it is a Mitzva [commandment/good deed/correction] to extend it downward. We learn about it that one who prolongs his prayer, his days are prolonged.

776) Within that palace is a hidden point, a spirit, who is to take upon her another spirit, superior, a male. When spirit is in spirit, one enters the other and becomes one. One is assembled into the other to become one, like a tree in which one is assembled [grafting] into the other, and it is one—a kind in its kind. Woe unto one who assembles a kind not in its kind, like the sons of Aaron, who wished to assemble a tree with another, which was not its kind.

A male spirit is the right line; the female spirit is the left line. The right and left are disputed: the left—Hochma—wishes to revoke the right—Hassadim—because they are a kind not in its kind, for one is Hochma and one is Hassadim. The dispute continues until they are corrected in the middle line, which makes peace between them in a way that the right will illuminate from above downward, and the left will illuminate from below upward. Then they unite with one another.

It is so because by the left not being extended from above downward, it is regarded as the same kind as the right. And it was said, “And it is one—a kind in its kind,” since the female was established to illuminate the Hochma only from below upward, by which she is a kind in its kind with the male. Aaron’s sons, who died, drank the intoxicating wine, which means that they extended the Hochma from above downward. This is why it was said, “Like the sons of Aaron, who wished to assemble a tree with another, which was not its kind,” for then the left and the right are a kind not in its kind.

777) One who assembles a kind in its kind and knows how to connect a tie in its tie, a palace in its palace, a degree in its degree, has a portion in the next world. This is the wholeness of everything. And when the left is completed in the right, the male in the female, and also the

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palaces, all becomes one deed, a kind in its kind. What emerges from that perfection is called Maase Merkava [the work of assembling]. The word Merkava comes from the words Markiv [assembling] and Murkav [assembled].

778) “And the Lord God made the man.” It writes the full name, HaVaYaH Elokim [the Lord God], for man is a deed that comes out of the Merkava, HaVaYaH Elokim, who assembled one in the other, a kind in its kind, a work of wholeness of everything, where the right is completed by the left, the left is completed by the right, and likewise male and female. When they were completed in one another, they were called ZA and Malchut, HaVaYaH Elokim, the full name. Happy is he who knows how to tie the ties of faith and properly unite the unification.

779) As there are high and holy names, such as the name Mem-Bet, which connect to one another, the holy name HaVaYaH is interpreted above in Bina, and interpreted below in Malchut. The name HaVaYaH is above in GAR, in the unification, HaVaYaH EKYEH, and this name is in the middle, in HGT, in the unification, HaVaYaH Elokim. This name is also below, in NHYM, in the unification, HaVaYaH ADNI.

HaVaYaH is the holy name, Ehad [one], the meaning of everything, including all the names. The upper world, Bina, GAR, EKYEH, unites with the more concealed than concealed that is over it—Hochma that is called HaVaYaH—and this is the unification, HaVaYaH EKYEH, which partakes it it, and it is one. The lower world, Malchut, ADNI, unites with the concealed, ZA, HaVaYaH, and this is the unification HaVaYaH ADNI. The one in the middle, Malchut above Chazeh de ZA, Elokim, unites with the upper holy Merkava atop her, HGT, HaVaYaH, and this is the unification HaVaYaH Elokim, which is Maase Merkava.

780) Four Merkavot come out on the part of Bina, four Sefirot, HGT and Malchut above the Chazeh. Four Merkavot come out on the part of Malchut from Chazeh de ZA and below, called ADNI, four angels—Michael, Gabriel, Uriel, and Rafael—as each one is interpreted into four. Each Merkava is four when the degrees look—three lines and Malchut who receives them. Also, they are all four each, until the degrees come down in the holy name ADNI by those Merkavot that stand and travel in the name ADNI. They are called “bronze mountains.”

There are upper mountains, HGT de ZA, and lower mountains, NHY de ZA, which illuminate in Malchut and stand in three sides—right, left, and middle—coming out of gold, silver, and bronze. NHY de ZA come out from HGT de ZA, which are called “gold, silver, and bronze.”

781) The bronze below, in Beria, is because those Merkavot that come out of the name ADNI in the first palace—four Merkavot that come out of two spirits, right and left, from the sapphire pavement—those two spirits are called “two bronze mountains.”

782) Four Merkavot come out of those two spirits, the bronze mountains, four Ophanim that use the name ADNI that sank in the angel, Sandalfon, minister of the Panim. Also, all the Merkavot are messengers in the world, one atop the other, horses and carriages, since there is a carriage over horses that pull it.

783) The holy name ADNI is included in HaVaYaH, who is YAHDONHY. The name Elokim is not included in another name, like ADNI, which is included in HaVaYaH, and whose Behina is cancelled in HaVaYaH. Rather, the name Elokim is not cancelled and included in another name because there is a living God [Elokim] in Bina, and from the name Elokim in Bina, the name spreads into Gevura de ZA and into Malchut, who are called Elokim, and spreads into BYA. Its illumination does not stop anywhere, but spreads on, which is why it is not included, being cancelled in another name.

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784) The name that includes all the names is HaVaYaH, which—when full—is Yod [Yod-Vav-Dalet] He [Hey-Aleph] Vav [Vav-Aleph-Vav] He [Hey-Aleph]. In this letter combination of the holy name, the priest knew how to purify in all his sides until the names rose on several sides in 42 Ophanim, in the expansion of the harsh spark in Bina, which includes all the names.

The name HaVaYaH includes all the names, Sefirot, in the name Mem-Bet, which is KHB. The four letters of simple HaVaYaH is Keter. The ten letters of the filling of HaVaYaH, Yod [Yod-Vav-Dalet] He [Hey-Aleph] Vav [Vav-Aleph-Vav] He [Hey-Aleph], is Hochma, and with the 28 letters of the filling of the filling, Yod [Yod-Vav-Dalet] Vav [Vav-Aleph-Vav] Dalet [Dalet-Lamed-Tav], He [Hey-Aleph] Aleph [Aleph-Lamed-Peh], Vav [Vav-Aleph-Vav] Aleph [Aleph-Lamed-Peh] Vav [Vav-Aleph-Vav], He [Hey-Aleph] Aleph [Aleph-Lamed-Peh], they are 42 letters together.

The name HaVaYaH includes GAR, KHB, and ZA is ten letters of the filling Yod [Yod-Vav-Dalet] He [Hey-Aleph] Vav [Vav-Aleph-Vav] He [Hey-Aleph], like Hochma. Malchut is a calculation of these ten letters, which is 45. Thus, the name HaVaYaH comprises all ten Sefirot. This is why it was said that it includes all the names, for the Sefirot are called “names.”

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